Men, Women, Garters, and Chains
by Angelic Temptress
Summary: COMPLETE! Post "SC"--Someting has happened to the women of the JL and Gotham. They're missing in action and may be forced to work together before the men can "save" them. BMWW BMCW HGGL BGNW Jealousy, betrayal, faith, seduction...
1. Luck Be a Lady

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains  
  
By: The Angelic Temptress  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.  
  
Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"  
  
Rating: PG-13 for the usual features  
  
Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG  
  
##  
  
Prologue:  
  
The wind tousled her auburn strands and rumpled her feathers as she gazed onto Midway City from her perch on the roof of its museum. She wrapped her arms around herself in attempt to warm her trembling body and to forget that she didn't have strong arms to catch her anymore.  
  
She was alone now and had been for months. Although she had "claimed" Midway as her own, like Batman had claimed Gotham and Superman had taken Metropolis, she was an outcast in the city. She hadn't been engaged in a conversation with another person since the day she had left The Justice League at the Wayne Manor.  
  
The city had been quiet that night, and her heroics were unneeded. The Thanagarian decided to get some rest and slipped into the attic of the museum through a trap door.  
  
Her modest loft was dark, but she easily found the way to the bedroom and pulled off her helmet. She tossed it aside but suddenly noticed a shift in the shadows.  
  
She froze.  
  
Her mind instantly began to examine the scene. Batman had been known to sneak in on those he wished to speak with... or scrutinize. Although her hopes clung to the idea that one of her former teammates had decided to contact her, she knew better.  
  
She grasped her mace, raised it over her head, and altered her stance. When it came to battling in the dark, she wasn't much of an expert but didn't dare light the room with her energy mace. It would give her position away, leaving her open to an attack.  
  
She gasped when something pierced her skin; something had been shot into her throat. The former lieutenant forced her left hand to her neck and pulled out whatever had hit her. She tried to study the dart, struggling with her weakening eyesight, but nothing came of it. The room had gotten darker, and she couldn't manage to stand any longer.  
  
Her legs gave out from under her, and the woman fell to the hard floor, dropping her mace simultaneously. She couldn't move her legs, so she tried dragging herself toward the single telephone she kept on the nightstand. If she could dial the only number she had memorized, maybe...  
  
The numbness traveled up her spine, and her bones began to shake. She couldn't feel her wings.  
  
Her surroundings began to swirl around her, and before she knew it, she had blacked out.  
  
##  
  
Chapter 1: Luck Be a Lady  
  
Wearing a pair of dark slacks, a pastel pink tee, and a messy bun on her head, Diana sat in a remote and seedy bar stationed on the outskirts of Metropolis. Unbelievably, she hadn't been recognized as Wonder Woman by any of the regulars. It was late, about two in the morning, and the tavern, for the most part, was empty. There were only four people, including both the bartender and the Amazon.  
  
She was on call that night, waiting for either Superman or The Green Lantern to contact her. It had been five months since the Watchtower had been destroyed, since the Thanagarians had left Earth, and since The Justice League had become a member smaller.  
  
The League was in the middle of recruiting new members and rebuilding a new Watchtower. Batman had confirmed that it would be completed within the next month or so.  
  
Batman.  
  
Bruce.  
  
Diana and Bruce Wayne had started "seeing" one another, as Americans would say. They had been spotted in Rome, Gotham, Tokyo, New York, and Paris together, either at parties or restaurants. In the public's eye, the blue- eyed duo was an official couple, the new Jen and Ben.  
  
As much as she enjoyed spending time with Bruce outside of the League and without their costumes...  
  
Although she loved going out with the handsome billionaire, she hated the playboy image he faked. He had two roles, two personas that the papers had to recognize: the rich ladies'/ business man and, of course, the mysterious crime fighter. Who the true Bruce Wayne was, Diana yearned to know, but he wouldn't let her near. He was afraid of something.  
  
The princess needed some time away from the cameras and Bruce's persistent solitude. She needed to be alone.  
  
"Here you are, sweetheart," the bartender said and placed a drink before Diana.  
  
"I didn't order –"  
  
"It's been taken care of." The older man motioned toward the individual sitting three seats away from Diana.  
  
The beautiful woman sent an intriguing smile and popped an olive into her mouth. She possessed seductive emerald eyes and layers of dark, gorgeous hair. When the princess returned a smile, the woman ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair and came to join Diana.  
  
"This seat reserved for someone?"  
  
"Help yourself."  
  
After sitting down, she sipped her martini. "Come here often?"  
  
"No. Thank you for the drink, but I can't accept it."  
  
"Please, it's the least I could do for..." The woman paused to catch a glance at whoever could hear them. She then whispered, "Wonder Woman."  
  
Diana's smile grew.  
  
"I didn't know what you liked, so I got you a Shirley Temple." The friendly female bit her bottom lip. "If you don't mind my asking, what are you doing in a place like this?"  
  
"Trying to keep a low profile. The paparazzi follows me everywhere."  
  
"Well, who could blame them? You're a beautiful woman dating a beautiful man." When Diana shot her a playful glare, the woman added, "What? I read the papers."  
  
Before Diana could respond, she heard Superman's voice.  
  
"Diana?"  
  
"Yes," she answered quietly as she pressed the comm-link hidden in her ear.  
  
"We need you in Metropolis. We'll meet outside Lexcorp."  
  
"Right." She turned to her companion. "I've got to go."  
  
"Figured that. Take care."  
  
The princess stood from her stool and stated, "I never got your name."  
  
The green-eyed beauty grinned. "It's Selina."  
  
##  
  
Barbara felt Dick reach his peak and held him close as he did. Their heavy breathing had already begun to slow, but Dick's lips managed to cover the redhead's mouth once more.  
  
It was five twenty-eight, an hour and a half after Batgirl and Nightwing had retired to Barbara's apartment. Somehow, the young vigilantes had ended up in bed together, again. They were on-again-off-again lovers and had been for years. Barbara knew that would never change unless she put a stop to the relationship. As painful as their random meetings were, she was too selfish to end it.  
  
Richard Grayson separated himself from Barbara Gordon and rolled over to the left side of her bed. No matter how little sleep they had learned to operate on, they needed all they could get. When lying beside her former teammate, she always managed to sleep better. Dick wrapped his athletic arms around her, and she laid her head on his chest.  
  
She closed her blue eyes and forced herself to drift off to sleep.  
  
##  
  
"Trouble sleeping?"  
  
Supergirl spun around to see The Flash standing next to her. Her response to his question was a small shrug.  
  
"You know, a hundred and fifty percent on the job isn't needed. I'm sure a hundred and ten will meet your cousin's expectations."  
  
The blonde Kryptonian gave a small chuckle. "You've noticed."  
  
"Babe, you're working twenty-four seven. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind, but even Supergirls need their rest."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"How's it look on the East end?" Clark's voice said over the comm-link.  
  
"It's quiet."  
  
##  
  
"Looks like a false alarm," The Green Lantern stated bluntly. He and the Martian stood on the roof of The Daily Planet.  
  
"Seems as if the anonymous tip was incorrect."  
  
"Yeah. Doesn't look like the group is robbing tonight." He sighed. "I guess we might as well head home."  
  
"Would you mind if I asked you a personal question, Lantern?"  
  
"No, J'onn."  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"Just fine. Why do you ask?"  
  
The Martian Manhunter placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and said, "You miss her."  
  
"Is it that obvious?"  
  
"As Flash would say, 'A blind man in New Jersey could see it.'"  
  
GL gave a slight laugh. "I want to get over her... but I can't let myself." He turned to face his comrade. "Do you understand?"  
  
"More than you know."  
  
"I wonder where she is and if she's all right."  
  
"I'm positive that Batman could find her if you truly wished to learn of her whereabouts."  
  
John shook his head. "No. It's better this way. She needs time; we both do."  
  
##  
  
"Give her time. She'll wake."  
  
Shayera struggled with her heavy eyelids but managed to force her eyes open. Her head ached, and her body was sore. She groaned as she sat up in what looked like a holding cell.  
  
"Look at the pretty birdy."  
  
The ex-lieutenant raised her gaze to glare at her captors: two figures she couldn't make out in the dim light.  
  
On instinct, she reached to her hip but found no mace. Her teeth clenched, and she stood from the hard floor.  
  
"Who are you?" she demanded. "Where the hell am I?"  
  
"Too many questions, Hawkgirl."  
  
Suddenly, an electric current shot through her body, and Shayera Hol fell to her knees, crying out in pain. When the electricity stopped, she noticed a metal ring around her neck.  
  
"Bastards," she muttered and grasped the bars of the cell, depending on them to help pull her up. "What do you want?"  
  
"Just to balance the universe."  
  
##  
  
"It's only seven."  
  
Dick Grayson turned to look at the redhead who laid in her bed, smiling at him. Barbara was beautiful, the ideal woman: intelligent, witty, sexy, very handy with computers...  
  
"I've got to get back to Bludhaven."  
  
Immediately, a disappointed expression fell onto her gorgeous features. She wanted him to stay, to hold her, and to be the steady man in her unsteady life. The officer couldn't do that for her; Dick couldn't stay in Gotham.  
  
Nightwing couldn't stay so close to Batman.  
  
He pulled on one of the many pairs of sweatpants he kept at Barbara's apartment and sat back down on the bed. Dick gently brushed Babs' hair from her eyes and kissed her forehead. She gave a heavy sigh and placed her hand in his.  
  
Dick knew he was ripping the commissioner's daughter apart by not sticking around. He loved Barbara Gordon more than anything, but couldn't be the man she needed. If he were to stay, he'd rip himself apart. Either way, they'd lose. At least this way, they knew someone loved them.  
  
"I'll call you."  
  
"You better, Boy Wonder."  
  
Dick chuckled, and an idea sprung to mind. "Why don't you come visit me sometime? It would be like a mini-vacation."  
  
"With Nightwing and Batgirl patrolling together?"  
  
"Just like old times."  
  
"Just like last night."  
  
"Hopefully," he added with a smirk and kissed her again.  
  
##  
  
"Sir, I phoned Mr. Fox and informed him of your absence."  
  
"Good, Alfred."  
  
"And I will be reserving your box seats at the opera for you and Miss Diana."  
  
"Good, Alfred." Bruce Wayne wasn't even listening to his butler's announcements. His thoughts were fixated on The Justice League's miscalculations from the night before. The tip had been a wrong one. The Shade, Grodd, and Clayface hadn't robbed the bank as they were expected to.  
  
While analyzing all the theories his dark mind had created, only one seemed to fit.  
  
The call had been a diversion.  
  
Someone had gone through a lot of trouble to use Jim Gordon and the GCPD to give Batman information on a bank robbery and bombing in Metropolis. Batman had been skeptical upon receiving the tip, but he should have detected its fallacy much earlier.  
  
Why contact Batman instead of Superman, especially when the tip dealt with Metropolis?  
  
Bruce sat back in his seat before the Batcomputer and rubbed his chin. He heard Alfred shrug and walk away and then moved his attention to the blank screen.  
  
What hadn't the tipper wanted the League to see? What had happened last night? What was Batman unaware of?  
  
He turned on the morning news, waiting for his questions to be answered.  
  
##  
  
Diana waited as Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce's kind butler and surrogate father, opened the secret passage behind the grandfather clock. After he did, he moved aside so she could descend into the dark cave, alone.  
  
Her heels, which Princess Audrey had sent from Europe, sounded in the Batcave with every step, but Bruce didn't even turn his head to look at her.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he questioned, his eyes still on his computer.  
  
"Well, I was supposed to be at the opera thirty minutes ago."  
  
The man slightly winced with realization. He had stood her up unintentionally.  
  
"Diana..."  
  
"I know, you forgot. That's fine. You're working." She adjusted the shawl on her shoulders due to the coolness of the cave; a satin dress was not meant to be worn in a damp, frigid grotto. Diana leaned over his shoulder, resting a hand on his desk, to get his attention.  
  
It didn't quite work, so she planted a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"What has got you so oblivious to the world around you?"  
  
"The error of last night."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I think it may have been a distraction."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Someone wanted us all in Metropolis for a reason."  
  
"What reason?"  
  
"I don't know yet."  
  
"But nothing happened last night, Bruce. At least nothing big."  
  
His forehead wrinkled, and he stood from his chair. The Amazon knew she wouldn't be able to win this battle for attention. She'd be receiving none tonight.  
  
So she stood and leaned against the keypad in defeat.  
  
"Perhaps it was something small, something of irrelevance for ordinary people. Perhaps it would matter to The Justice League alone."  
  
"Perhaps."  
  
He finally made eye contact, and his expression softened. Instead of apologizing, he complemented his date.  
  
"You look nice."  
  
She glanced down at the clingy, lilac-colored dress and shook her head. "I try."  
  
"We can still go to dinner."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Give me fifteen minutes, and I'll have Alfred drive us into town."  
  
"Okay," she repeated and watched him close the distance between them. He touched his lips to hers and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
##  
  
Selina Kyle sipped her martini and glanced around the fancy restaurant, seeing if she recognized any of the rich guests.  
  
Of course, it was Gotham City, a place where her alter ego was infamous.  
  
At least, she liked to think so.  
  
Wearing a black dress that covered most of her body, black nylons, and heels, she watched the room in amazement. She had stolen something from almost every single person in the room.  
  
Then she noticed a beautiful, dark-haired, female in an expensive satin ensemble sitting next to one of the richest men on the East coast. Wonder Woman and Selina's ex-boyfriend, Bruce Wayne.  
  
Years ago, Wayne had been infatuated with Selina and even looked past her scandalous record. He had posted bail for her many times and had waited for her outside Arkham when she had been released. That kind of a man, any woman could learn to love.  
  
But he wasn't unachievable. He wasn't her Dark Knight.  
  
He wasn't Batman.  
  
The brunette finished her drink and walked toward their table. As she passed by, she intentionally bumped into Wonder Woman's chair to get their attention.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said with as much sincerity as humanly possible and acted surprised when they made eye contact. "Wonder Woman?"  
  
"Selina? What are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm meeting a friend. How nice to see you again."  
  
"You two know each other?" the handsome billionaire questioned in an almost harsh tone, and Selina looked up at him, ready to send him a glare.  
  
She resisted.  
  
"We met in Metropolis just last night," the heroine confirmed with a smile. "How rude of me... Selina, this is –"  
  
"It's nice to see you again, Bruce."  
  
This time, Wonder Woman raised the eyebrow.  
  
"Likewise."  
  
"How've you been?"  
  
"All right. Yourself?"  
  
"Good, thank you." Before Wonder Woman could get a word in, Selina asked, "How's Alfred?"  
  
The other woman clutched her napkin in anger.  
  
"He's fine." Bruce's blue eyes finally left Selina's face and moved to his date. "Selina and I had once dated."  
  
"But that's ancient history," Selina added. "This isn't a time to stroll down memory lane. I've got to go, anyway." She turned to Wonder Woman and gave a smile. "Nice seeing you again."  
  
"Yes. Nice seeing you too."  
  
Selina walked away from the table, feeling accomplished.  
  
And the band started playing some Sinatra.  
  
"Luck be a lady," she mumbled to herself and left the restaurant.  
  
## 


	2. Ain't That a Kick in the Head

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains  
  
By: The Angelic Temptress  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.  
  
Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"  
  
Rating: PG-13 for the usual features  
  
Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG  
  
##  
  
Chapter 2: Ain't That a Kick in the Head  
  
John turned off his television and rubbed the back of his neck. He was exhausted, tired of life and its unfairness.  
  
J'onn had been right the night before; John Stewart missed his winged redhead. The Green Lantern yearned for her, hungered for her touch.  
  
He missed her voice, the energy she brought to a room, her subtle flirting, the warmth she brought to his bed, her smile, her emerald eyes, her love...  
  
Her love.  
  
That was what he missed the most. Shayera had loved him and didn't know that he had loved her in return... that he still did.  
  
So what if she had been labeled a traitor? So what if she had lied? So what if the League would have trouble trusting her again?  
  
If only she'd call him and tell him she was all right.  
  
Maybe he'd be able to sleep peacefully if she did.  
  
John finally managed to get off the couch and go to bed, despite his unsettling thoughts.  
  
##  
  
"You dated her?" Diana asked and folded her arms over her chest.  
  
"How do you know Selina?"  
  
"She bought me a drink last night. Why does it matter?"  
  
"Did she approach you?"  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
Bruce stood from his seat and motioned Diana to follow suit. She did without protest. Her boyfriend left the check and a few bills on the table, took hold of her arm, and guided her to the car. Alfred was waiting outside the restaurant, holding the door open for the couple. Once they were settled, he returned to the driver's seat.  
  
Miles away from downtown Gotham, about twenty minutes into the car ride, Bruce finally spoke.  
  
"Selina Kyle is Catwoman."  
  
"The burglar?" Diana's face fell for a second, but she quickly covered her jealousy with curiosity. "Does she know...?"  
  
"No. She has no idea."  
  
The princess folded her hands in her lap and bit her lower lip, not knowing how to go about questioning the criminal's motives. Why contact Wonder Woman? Because she was dating Bruce Wayne?  
  
As if Bruce were reading her thoughts, he said, "Selina isn't in love with me."  
  
"But I wasn't –"  
  
"She's in love with Batman."  
  
Diana's breath got caught in her throat. Was that the connection? How in the world could the "sister" be aware of a relationship between Wonder Woman and Batman if she didn't know his secret identity?  
  
But then again, don't all women have a sixth sense about these things?  
  
Especially a Catwoman?  
  
Diana turned her gaze away from Bruce and stared out the window. As much as he tried to hide his attraction to Miss Selina Kyle, he was failing miserably. Usually, he was so good at hiding his emotions.  
  
Something nudged Diana in the pit of her stomach. Catwoman was no infatuated child; neither was Batman. If he was so concerned for this common criminal, there was a reason for it.  
  
As he had once told her, there were no coincidences.  
  
Selina bumping into Diana at a Metropolis bar, the criminal forgetting to mention that she had dated Bruce, the ladies meeting in Gotham the next night, Bruce's troubled thoughts...  
  
"Bruce?"  
  
"Yes, Diana?"  
  
"I think I have to go."  
  
The handsome billionaire's gaze hadn't wavered, as if the fact of her not staying in Gotham a little longer didn't bother him. He probably wanted her out of his city, out of his hair, so he could meet with the cat burglar.  
  
She made fists at that idea.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I've got things to do tonight, errands to run."  
  
"Right."  
  
When Alfred parked before the front doors of the Wayne Manor, both Diana and Bruce stepped out of the car. She wrapped the shawl around her slender shoulders and faced her boyfriend with a faked smile; he returned one.  
  
She wanted to punch him.  
  
"Then I'll call you?" he asked smoothly, as if he had practiced the line several times, with his mind clearly someplace else.  
  
Perhaps on the rooftops of Gotham...  
  
Perhaps in Miss Kyle's bedroom...  
  
"Sure, but don't call out of obligation. Call because you want to. Goodnight." She touched her lips to his and turned on her heel.  
  
Diana didn't fly away. She didn't feel like flying tonight. She walked to the end of the massive driveway, past the frightening gates, and onto the barren street.  
  
The Amazon didn't make it far before she heard a strange sound.  
  
A quiet laugh.  
  
A sadistic laugh.  
  
She couldn't tell where it was coming from, especially when she was standing in the middle of an empty street, and actually considered that her heated mind was playing tricks on her. There was nothing around Diana, and it was nearly one o'clock. What did she expect to happen outside the Wayne Manor anyway?  
  
The laughter suddenly stopped.  
  
And something hit her square in the forehead. Before she could react, she fell to the cement, and the night became even darker than before.  
  
##  
  
"What's on your mind?" Batgirl asked Bruce as he suited up for patrol. "I kind of figured you'd be spending the evening indoors with a particular Amazon princess."  
  
He managed to send her a glare as he stepped out of his closet. "Diana isn't your concern, Barbara."  
  
"I know, but you two have been dating for quite a while. I would think that you two rounded that base by now."  
  
"Selina's in town," he stated blankly and jumped into the 'Mobile.  
  
"Oh no." Batgirl placed a hand on the car door for emphasis. "And you're going to see what she's up to?"  
  
He started the engine and shifted into drive as an answer. He closed the roof of the Batmobile, and she watched him leave the cave.  
  
"My prayers are with you, Wonder Woman," she muttered under her breath and hopped onto her Batcycle.  
  
##  
  
Catwoman heard the rumple of his cape when he landed behind her and smiled to herself. She had dearly missed her Dark Knight and couldn't wait to play with him.  
  
"Nice night, isn't it?" When he didn't answer her, she turned to make eye contact and sat down on the ledge of Gotham's Second National Bank.  
  
They spent a good few seconds just staring at one another, studying. She noticed the few alterations in his suit: the longer length of his cape, the darker color...  
  
"What do you want, Selina?"  
  
"I just wanted to visit you. We haven't seen each other since –"  
  
"You're life was in danger," he finished with a candid tone.  
  
"Jeez. Some warm welcome. I guess working with the happy-go-lucky Boy Scout and his super friends hasn't made you any less intricate... or sexy, for that matter." She crossed her legs and patted the space beside her. "Take a load off, Hero. You look a little tense."  
  
"What were you doing in Metropolis the other night?"  
  
"Wonder Woman blabbed? I'm glad that I left an impression on her. How does it compare to my first impression on you?"  
  
"Enough, Selina. Answer the question."  
  
"I was in a bar, and I happened to see her there. I bought her a drink. Big deal. It's not like I poisoned her or something." Catwoman stood from her seat and came to Batman, wrapping her arms around his neck. "We've got a common bond, you know. She's dating my ex." The female kissed the corner of the Bat's mouth and gently licked the same area, knowing that it would equally agitate him and turn him on.  
  
Batman shoved her away in reaction, and her mouth dropped open. He hadn't gently pushed her away; he had shoved her away. Either he didn't enjoy her playfulness anymore, or she had really gotten under his skin.  
  
"Looks as if that swimsuit model and I have more than just one common bond. Am I sensing an attraction for the half-naked superhero?"  
  
"Go home, Selina."  
  
"Go home, please," she corrected with a smirk.  
  
The eyes of his cowl narrowed, and he turned his back to Catwoman. After shooting out a line, he swung off the building and left the black-clad villain to stand alone.  
  
'He doesn't really care for that Wonder Bitch,' she thought. 'It's a phase. Maybe he's going through his midlife crisis.'  
  
She forced a small chuckle and imagined sinking her claws into the perfect skin of that Wonder Whore.  
  
##  
  
"Why aren't you asleep?" Clark asked Kara and sat down on the couch, next to her.  
  
"Conan's on."  
  
"As in the Governor of California?"  
  
"No. As in the late night talk show host." Kara pulled her damp hair back into a ponytail and sent him a smile. "Thanks for letting me stay the night."  
  
"What's family for?"  
  
She only shrugged as a response and folded her legs under herself so she could sit Indian style. "Have you talked to Bruce yet?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, I'm sure she's got some sort of a theory for the false alarm the other night."  
  
His small eyes narrowed at her statement, and he muted the television. "Kara, we need to talk."  
  
"About?"  
  
"I think you need to calm down a bit. The world isn't going to end anytime soon, I hope. You're over working yourself."  
  
"I just don't want to mess up. I want to be just as good as you are, Clark."  
  
"I know." He kissed her forehead, as a brother would a sister, and mussed her hair. "Get some sleep, blondie."  
  
##  
  
Shayera heard her bunkmate groan as she woke from her imposed sleep. The woman opened her eyes and rubbed the center of her forehead before she sat up. The superhero looked confused, but her eyes widened the moment she recognized her company.  
  
"You." Diana got to her feet and pointed her index finger at the Thanagarian. "Why do I have a feeling that this all your fault?"  
  
The redhead didn't answer. Instead, she returned her eyes to the bars that separated the women from the outside world.  
  
Their square cell was large enough to fit five comfortably but didn't have any furniture.  
  
Only a toilet.  
  
Shy sat in the far left corner, hugging one of her knees and considering any feasible escape. Wonder Woman was one of the last people she wanted to deal with, so she did her best to avoid snapping at her. The former teammates hadn't exactly experienced a painless and simple split five months ago.  
  
'I should let you burn...'  
  
Shayera could still hear her friend's words echoing in her head. It was one of the last things she remembered before going to sleep each night, one of the phrases that truly stuck to her dreams.  
  
To her nightmares.  
  
"Did you try to get out of here?" Diana questioned with a frustrated tone and stepped up to the bars. She gripped two and began to pull them apart...  
  
Or attempted to pull them apart. Shy raised an eyebrow at the scene and noticed something different about the princess: she wasn't wearing her bracelets.  
  
"Great Hera... give me strength..." She mumbled as her face began to turn a shade of red. When the reinforced steel bars didn't budge, Diana realized why she was so weak.  
  
"They took them," Shy stated dryly. "They took my mace too."  
  
Diana narrowed her eyes at the other woman and pressed the comm-link hidden in her ear, or, rather, the comm-link that should have been hidden in her ear.  
  
"Took that too."  
  
"Who took them?"  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"Well, who carried me in here?"  
  
"Thugs who work for whoever kidnapped us."  
  
The Amazon began to pace, gripping the ring located around her neck as she did. "How do we get these off?"  
  
"You don't." When Diana stopped to glare at her, Shayera continued. "It's actually of Thanagarian design. You need the key."  
  
"There's no way to break it open?"  
  
"If there were, I would have done it by now."  
  
"I'm sure you would have." Diana kicked off her expensive heels and sat down across from her former comrade. "What do they want?"  
  
"To balance the universe. At least, that's what they told me."  
  
A few minutes later, when her anger had slightly subsided, Diana ran a hand through her long hair and asked, "What are you still doing on Earth? It's not as if you could blend in with its crowds."  
  
"I don't. I live in hiding and watch the people of the city, making sure they're safe."  
  
"How noble," she muttered under her breath, but Shayera paid no mind. She deserved every remark the heroine threw at her.  
  
"Now, no bickering, ladies," a familiar, psychotic voice snickered from the darkness before them.  
  
Shy clenched her teeth and balled her fists. If there was anyone she truly hated...  
  
The Clown Prince of Crime stepped up to the bars and slipped his white face to sit between two. His lips curled into an evil grin as he chuckled.  
  
"Joker."  
  
"What do you want?" Shayera demanded and stood from her seat on the cold floor. "This isn't your style. You're not one to stealthily go about kidnapping women."  
  
"You're right, little detective. Trying to fill the shoes of the big bad Bat?"  
  
"Go to Hell, Clown."  
  
"Maybe we'll see each other there. You know, the deepest circle of Hell is reserved for betrayers." His mouth dropped open. "That's right. You're a bad guy now, according to the American military." He laughed even louder. "Welcome to the family!"  
  
"I'm not like you."  
  
"Keep telling yourself that, Angel."  
  
##  
  
"Master Bruce?"  
  
"Yes, Alfred?" Batman sat at his computer, skimming through The Daily Planet's articles, searching for any robberies in Metropolis.  
  
"If it isn't too bold to say, I believe that your lady seemed a little irritated when she left so abruptly this evening."  
  
"She'll be fine." He didn't have time to think about a girlfriend at the moment. He had to make sure Selina wasn't in any trouble. Nowadays, she only ran into Batman when she needed help or when he caught her stealing.  
  
"Don't you believe you should be paying more attention to the lady instead of obsessing over an old flame?"  
  
"Alfred, I'm going to state this as kindly as possible," he confirmed without moving his stare from the screen. "Do not worry about me and Diana. Right now, I have to deal with Selina."  
  
"Catwoman," he corrected ingenuously. "Why do you still believe that you can change her? A woman cannot be saved unless she wishes to be. Tell me that I've taught you at least that much, Sir."  
  
The Batman didn't respond to his butler. He just started typing on his keyboard.  
  
## 


	3. Jailhouse Rock

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains  
  
By: The Angelic Temptress  
  
Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.  
  
Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"  
  
Rating: PG-13 for the usual features  
  
Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG  
  
##  
  
Chapter 3: Jailhouse Rock  
  
Harley Quinn loudly popped her gum bubble and began to chew with her mouth open. She didn't know that her racket irritated their guest; she just continued masticating the Orbit gum and playing her game of solitaire.  
  
The desk she sat behind held Hawkgirl's mace and Wonder Woman's silver bracelets. Not only did they need to keep the belongings locked away from their owners, but they also needed proof for when they told the world of the women's demise. Joker wouldn't have bragging rights without evidence.  
  
Harl blew another bubble and popped it, driving the alien off the edge.  
  
"Could you possibly cease?" he questioned heatedly, digging his nails into the armrests of his chair.  
  
The Joker's girlfriend stopped chomping and gave an apologetic smile. "Gee. Sorry, Mistah. Ya shoulda said somethin' sooner." When his glare left her face, she rolled her eyes and placed the Jack of Spades atop the Queen.  
  
"Well, the second one's awake," Mr. J announced and came to his desk chair, which Harley had vacated a moment after his arrival. "My part of the deal is completed. Now it's your turn."  
  
"How is she?" the man asked. Harley knew he spoke of Hawkgirl; she was the one he wanted, after all.  
  
"Broken."  
  
He narrowed his dark eyes and warned, "That better be figuratively speaking."  
  
"Of course. I made a promise, and I don't go back on my promises. Right, Harl?"  
  
"That's right, Mistah J. You're one to keep your word."  
  
"Which brings me to my next point," Batman's nemesis stated and sat down in his comfortable swivel chair. "You get me who I want as soon as humanly, I mean, Thanagarian-ly possible." Joker smirked to himself and ran a hand through his green hair. "Do you think you're prepared?"  
  
"They're human. The two you attained were much more difficult to capture."  
  
"Yes, but their capture is almost meaningless. Sure, I'd enjoy annihilating The Justice League just as much as the next maniac, but when it comes down to it... I'd much rather drive Batman mad."  
  
"I see." The Thanagarian stood from his seat and left the room without another word. When he was out of hearing range, Joker turned to Harley and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"That guy's crazier than I am."  
  
Harley shrugged. "Well, at least you're still number one in Gotham."  
  
"In Gotham alone?" Joker fiercely glared at his girlfriend, grinding his teeth as he did.  
  
"I meant... on Earth?"  
  
"That's better."  
  
##  
  
Officer Richard Grayson of the Bludhaven Police Department stared at his blank computer screen, fiddling with his number-two pencil, and gnawing on his bottom lip. He couldn't keep his mind on his work. Although he needed to turn in a report before he went home that day, Dick couldn't get himself to complete it. His mind was on his Babsy.  
  
If she was his, that is.  
  
He rubbed his forehead and sighed, not knowing what to do with their relationship. He cared about Barbara, but evidently didn't care enough to be with her every day.  
  
But why did he have to give in to her needs? Why didn't she move closer to him and farther from Batman?  
  
If Dick really loved her, he wouldn't ask her to leave everything she knew, everything she loved... How could she leave her own father behind? How could she leave school and her job at the police station?  
  
Dick picked up the phone and dialed her number. After four rings, her answering machine kicked in.  
  
"Hey, this is Barbara. I'm not home, so leave a message. Thanks."  
  
He hung up.  
  
##  
  
"Hello?"  
  
When all she got was a ring tone, Barbara put down the receiver. It was probably a telemarketer, and she didn't have the time to talk to a computer.  
  
She did that on her own anyway.  
  
Bruce had informed Barbara that she'd be out alone that night. He was headed over to Metropolis to meet with Clark Kent and discuss the coincidental events of Catwoman making an appearance in Gotham and the prank call about the bank robbery.  
  
Perhaps Selina wanted some kind of attention? Maybe she wanted to throw Batman off her trail?  
  
Babs didn't know, but until they figured it out, Batgirl would be watching the streets of the city. For some reason, she had a feeling Miss Kyle would be making her move that night.  
  
After all, there were a few new wealthy families in town, including a jeweler...  
  
##  
  
"There haven't been any burglaries, Batman," Superman assured from their perch on the roof of The Daily Planet. "I think I would know."  
  
Batman changed the subject. "Have you heard from Diana?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"She didn't contact me this morning."  
  
The Dark Knight noticed Superman's perked eyebrow, which indicated his interest.  
  
"Really? I wonder why..." When Batman didn't respond, Superman continued. "Maybe its because of Catwoman. From what Batgirl had told Supergirl and what Supergirl had told me –"  
  
Batman huffed and shot out a line, leaving the Man of Steel all by his lonesome.  
  
##  
  
It was two in the morning, and Catwoman was on the prowl. The burglar decided not to wait around for Batman to find her. She'd much rather steel a few gems to get her mind off of things.  
  
Catwoman stood on the fire escape of one of Gotham's most expensive apartment buildings. A few of the upper-class Gothamites owned penthouse suites near the plaza, and many of them had security systems she could effortlessly penetrate.  
  
"What are doing, Selina?" the young Batgirl's voice questioned from above the cat burglar. "Stirring up trouble, again?"  
  
"Where's the boss?"  
  
"Out of town on business."  
  
"With that Wonder Woman, no doubt."  
  
"Why do you ask? Are you being protective? Maybe a little jealous?"  
  
"Are you going to talk me to death, or are you going to arrest me?"  
  
Batgirl gave a sarcastic shrug. "I guess it's your call."  
  
The redhead slid down the bar of the fire escape, landed on the platform Catwoman stood on, but wasn't prepared to block a kick to the upper body. The criminal's boot met with Batgirl's chest, sending her over the railing and tumbling to the alley below. She shot her grapple gun, which hooked onto a flagpole, and pulled herself back onto the fire escape.  
  
Catwoman hadn't waited around for her.  
  
Already on the roof of the building, she was running toward the next roof at top speed. Suddenly, something latched onto her ankles, and she fell face first onto the hard cement. Luckily, her arms broke her fall.  
  
"Okay, Selina. No more games. I'm taking to you the police," Batgirl informed as she made her way to where Catwoman had fallen. "Now, you just need to come along quietly."  
  
"Don't fool yourself, kid."  
  
"Right." The young girl pulled a pair of cuffs from her yellow utility belt. "Now, let me–" Her words stopped. Batgirl dropped the handcuffs and moved her right hand to the back of her neck where she pulled something out. The kid tried to look at it before...  
  
Batgirl fainted, landing a few feet from where Catwoman was lying. Quickly, the burglar freed her legs from the Bat's bola and crawled over to where the girl and passed out. A tranquilizer dart sat in the girl's gloved hand.  
  
Catwoman studied her surroundings, searching for whoever had shot the crime fighter, but no one was there.  
  
"Wake up, Batgirl. Come on." She tried lifting the young woman but couldn't budge her. "Damn it. Did you gain weight?" Instead of lifting the junior vigilante, Catwoman figured she could drag her to the roof entrance of the building, where they'd be out of harm's way.  
  
She got to her feet, looked down, and realized that her shadow possessed wings.  
  
Catwoman had enough sense to know that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her, and her body tensed. She turned to face whoever was hovering behind her, hoping it was the ex-Leaguer rather than a stray sergeant of the army that had invaded Earth only months ago.  
  
It was a man, a very muscular man, who was watching her. She swallowed hard.  
  
"Catwoman, I presume."  
  
"Yeah. Sorry. I don't know who you are."  
  
"That is of no matter," he replied coolly and landed in front of her.  
  
"Thanks for the save," she said and motioned toward the unmoving figure of Batgirl, figuring she could butter up the weirdo before making her escape. "I was probably headed to jail."  
  
The Thanagarian took a step toward her, and she took a step back.  
  
"Listen, I have a feeling that you want something with me, and let me tell you that I'm not good with partners. I don't do well with birds. Ask Robin or Nightwing."  
  
"Stop talking," he ordered and gripped her throat with one hand, lifting her off of the ground. As she struggled for air, she tried to punch him so he'd lose his hold. The alien was unfortunately much bigger and stronger than any man she had ever met before, and her hits didn't affect him at all.  
  
His dark eyes threw darts at her, and his helmet gleamed in the moonlight. She didn't know what she could do. He was so much stronger than she was... so much stronger than Batman was.  
  
"What – what do you... want?" she forced from her throat.  
  
"Justice."  
  
He then tossed her aside, causing her to slam onto the ground hard and cry out in pain. When she sat up to face him again, he had a gun pointed at her.  
  
"Goodnight, Cat." He pulled the trigger, but she evaded the shot. The dart missed her by a centimeter, but that close call didn't slow her at all.  
  
Lamentably, the next shot did.  
  
##  
  
Diana raised her blue eyes to see who was unlocking the cell. Two nameless men dropped more women in the chamber and left.  
  
To the princess' surprise, an unconscious Batgirl and Catwoman had been left behind.  
  
Immediately, she checked their pulses, to see if they were alive.  
  
Thankfully, they were.  
  
##  
  
"J'onn?" Batman said as he pressed the small communicator hidden beneath his cowl.  
  
"Yes, Batman?"  
  
"Could you telepathically contact Diana? She's not answering my attempts."  
  
A moment passed, and the Martian spoke again. "I cannot. I do not sense her."  
  
"Then something is wrong."  
  
"I concur."  
  
"Contact me as soon as you find her. Batman out." The Dark Knight then pressed his communicator once more to connect with one of his own team. "Come in, Batgirl."  
  
There was no answer.  
  
"Batgirl? Come in."  
  
Barbara didn't reply.  
  
##  
  
"Hey, Babs. It's me. Just call me whenever you get in." Dick put down his phone and put on his mask. He didn't feel right and had decided that Bludhaven would manage for one evening.  
  
He'd be heading to Gotham.  
  
To Barbara.  
  
She needed him; he could feel it.  
  
Dick just hoped his gut instinct was wrong.  
  
##  
  
Batgirl groaned as she sat up on the cold floor. There was little light, but she could tell that she was not alone in the small room. Hawkgirl, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman were all present, and two of the three were conscious.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked and sat up, allowing the brick wall to support her back. "Did we all get captured?"  
  
"By the Joker," the winged redhead confirmed. "He's got something up his sleeve."  
  
"What does he want with the two of you? Or Hawkgirl?" Wonder Woman, or Diana, as Batman called her, questioned naively. "It isn't as if you all are part of The Justice League."  
  
Batgirl had to avoid rolling her eyes by checking to see if her utility belt was still stationed around her waist.  
  
It wasn't.  
  
"Well, I do work with Batman."  
  
"And how about her?" she asked, cocking her head toward the sleeping Catwoman. "She's a criminal, like he is."  
  
"Not exactly. She's ruined his plans almost as many times as Batman has. Selina's one of the reasons he's breathing today." The youngest of the women gripped the silver ring that had been placed around her neck and tugged on it, testing its durability. She didn't need either of the girls to tell her that it wasn't manmade; just by taking a glance at it, she could see that it wasn't of her world.  
  
"Don't waste your time," Diana frankly advised. "Hawkgirl claims they're indestructible."  
  
"Nothing's indestructible," she countered and fiddled with the metal some more. Batgirl wasn't one to give up easily, especially when it came to a piece of technology.  
  
Shayera Hol, the ex-lieutenant of her planet and ex-protector of Batgirl's, shook her head at her roommate. "There's a key, which I'm sure Joker has, and without it, you'll never bust it open."  
  
"I'm going to assume that this is Thanagarian handiwork." When Shayera nodded, Batgirl scratched her head. "Who has a feeling that Joker's not alone in this? I mean, where the hell would he get devices like these? I'm sure your people wouldn't just trade them to a random psychotic."  
  
"You're absolutely correct, but I don't know a Thanagarian who would stay behind to kidnap a few masked females."  
  
"You also didn't believe Hro Talak was capable of destroying an entire planet," the princess snapped and threw a glare at her former teammate. "I think a Thanagarian maniac is a reasonable conjecture."  
  
"As was an Amazon who wanted all the men in the world to die." Shayera stood from her seat on the floor and placed her hands on her hips. "I wouldn't exactly point fingers here, Diana, especially when your own people aren't as perfect as you like to believe."  
  
"Take it easy, ladies. We're all in the same dilemma, and whether we like it or not, we have to work together," Batgirl reminded. "So calm yourselves down."  
  
"Good Lord," Catwoman mumbled as she gradually came to. "You have the most aggravating voices I've ever heard." She slowly got to a seated position and rubbed her head. "What did I miss?"  
  
"Nothing much. We just know that Joker's behind all this," Batgirl filled in.  
  
Catwoman shook her head. "The clown's not alone. He's working with someone." She raised her green eyes and immediately recognized Hawkgirl. "You're the double agent, aren't you?"  
  
Shayera didn't reply.  
  
"Well, it's one of your kind. He attacked me, nearly strangled me, and told me that he wanted justice. I suppose you were what he was referring to." The thief raised an eyebrow at the Thanagarian and gave a sly grin. "Looks like you're dancing on that fine line between right and wrong. Welcome to the club."  
  
"Joker said the same thing," Shayera added with a humiliated tone.  
  
"He probably meant something else, but don't listen to that son of a bitch. He's nuts."  
  
Diana wryly chuckled. "And you aren't?"  
  
Catwoman moved her emerald eyes to look at the princess. "Honey, I don't murder people for kicks." She then made eye contact with Shayera again. "Because I'm still living on an Earth that's pretty much in-tact, I figure that you don't either."  
  
Batgirl noticed the hint of a smirk sneaking its way onto the Thanagarian's lips and couldn't help smiling too. Who knew Catwoman could put faith back into a distraught soldier?  
  
Who knew Shayera still had a little self-confidence?  
  
"I can taste blood. Is my lip split?" Catwoman asked the only woman she really knew and winced when she touched her mouth with her hand. Blood had dried onto the corner of the burglar's lip, so Batgirl nodded in response.  
  
"What did your kidnapper look like?" Shayera asked Catwoman cautiously.  
  
The criminal's forehead wrinkled. "I don't know. He was big and muscular and wore one of those gold helmets on his head. It was dark, so I wouldn't be able to pick him out of a crowd of Thanagarians if I had to."  
  
"Did he say his name? Did he say anything at all?"  
  
"No, he didn't." Catwoman pulled her knees to her chest and shook her head. "Have you tried to escape yet?"  
  
"Except for the way we came in, there's no way out," Shayera verified. "Diana and I looked."  
  
"Of course, there are two armed guards outside of the cell, just in case we did find one," Wonder Woman added.  
  
Catwoman sighed. "Well Batgirl, I guess it's up to you and me, but you don't have your nifty belt." She shook her head again. "What I'd give for a Batsignal right about now."  
  
Wonder Woman narrowed her eyes at that remark.  
  
"None of you have your communicators either?"  
  
The three courageous women didn't answer, and that told the crook everything she needed to know.  
  
"We'll just have to do this the old fashioned way."  
  
##  
  
A/N: If you haven't noticed already, all my chapter titles are songs that were sung by my three favorite '50s and '60s artists: Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Elvis. If you were wondering why I chose those three, it's because I think they represent Batman, Wonder Woman, and Catwoman the best.  
  
Frank's music can be a little depressing at times, which fits perfectly with Bats.  
  
Dino's voice and songs are very mellow and sweet, like our Amazon.  
  
Elvis shook up the music scene with his radical style, and that's what Selina's doing in this fiction.  
  
Thanks to all who've reviewed so far! I really hope you like this story, but it's far from complete. Please stick with it. I'm sure you'll be surprised with what happens next.  
  
Just because I'm a BM/CW shipper doesn't mean that those two will end up together. Diana's a pretty tough act to follow, even for Selina Kyle...  
  
There's still more to come, so stay tuned! 


	4. I've Got You Under My Skin

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains

By: The Angelic Temptress

Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.

Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"

Rating: PG-13 for the usual features

Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG

##

Chapter 4: I've Got You Under My Skin

"Alfred?" Batman made a swift turn with the Batwing, heading back towards Gotham City.

"Yes, Sir?" the older man spoke, and his face appeared on the small monitor located a few buttons away from the steering wheel.

"I need you to go over to Barbara's apartment to see if she's there. I can't get a hold of her, and my trackers aren't picking up her signal."

"Should we be worried, Sir?"

Batman let out a quiet breath before replying. "I need you to contact Dick and Kara Kent if you don't find her."

"Should I try the commissioner as well?"

"No. I'll talk to him if I need to."

"Yes, Sir."

"Batman out." The Dark Knight could feel the scowl on his face and the fear pumping through his frigid veins. His gloved hands gripped the wheel as sweat drizzled down the inside of his cowl.

Both Diana and Barbara, the two most important women in his life, were missing. How could that be a coincidence?

I wasn't one. Someone was attacking Batman through the women he loved.

The women he loved.

His dead mother.

Leslie.

Barbara.

Diana.

Selina.

Catwoman. Could she be the one pulling the strings? Could she get herself to kill Wonder Woman and Batgirl? For what reason?

Maybe she was being framed. Selina Kyle wouldn't randomly kidnap, let alone kill, heroines. Bruce knew that much about her. Maybe Diana had gone to visit her mother... on an island she had been banished from.

Nothing made any sense. Nothing seemed logical. Nothing connected.

##

"Play it again, Sam."

John changed the channel, knowing he couldn't sit through a showing of "Casablanca" without recognizing the parallels with his own life.

A woman promised to another. An invaded country. A man torn between right and wrong, pain and pleasure, altruism and selfishness...

In the movie, Bogart's character gave up his love, telling her to go back to her husband. Shayera couldn't go back to her fiancé; she lost that chance when she shared information with the League. Other than that minor detail, the stories were the same. The players were left heartbroken and alone.

A knock sounded at the door, and John knew it was Wally West. He didn't get up to answer it, knowing the hotshot would let himself in.

"Hey, Greens," the redheaded kid greeted and walked into the apartment. "How ya doing?"

"Fine."

"I brought the 'Old School' DVD. Want me to pop it in?" When the Lantern didn't reply, Wally sat down beside him. "You okay?"

"Sure."

A solemn look crossed over the kid's features, signaling that he knew why the military man was brooding. "Johnny, you're not the only one who misses her. J'onn and I are right up there with you. She was like a sister to us."

"But we were so much more than that."

"I know." The kid sighed and sat back on the couch, his eyes focused on the ceiling.

"It'll be five months tomorrow," John informed without looking at his friend.

"I know," Wally repeated softly.

"Where do you think she's at?"

The speedster laughed to himself. "Probably rousting a bar, kicking some ass somewhere."

"You're probably right."

Just then, John's comm-link buzzed.

##

"Where the hell is she, Bruce?" Nightwing demanded as he stormed toward the Batcomputer. "She's not answering me. What happened to her?"

Batman didn't even glance at his adopted son.

"If she's dead, I swear to God..."

"I presume you haven't talked to her."

The younger crime fighter's jaw dropped. "What? That's all you have to say?"

"Have you contacted Kara or Wally? Perhaps she's with either of them."

Nightwing tightened his fists, clenched his teeth, and narrowed his enraged eyes. "What's going on?"

When the Bat started typing commands into his computer, Nightwing knew he had no idea. Barbara wasn't one to not check in. She wouldn't go this long without contacting them unless something had happened to her.

"I need you to watch Gotham for me."

"No way in Hell. I'm looking for Barbara."

"Dick. I need you here."

"Fuck here. She could be dead, lying in an alley somewhere, all by herself."

Batman stood from his chair to face the man he had raised with infuriated eyes. "They have Diana too," he stated firmly. "Don't you think I know how you feel right now?"

"No. You don't. You couldn't possibly feel anything for another human being, even if she were Wonder Woman."

The Bat slightly shook his head and strode past his son. "You're not coming. You're too close to this."

"And you're not?" Nightwing screamed after him, watching his former mentor walk toward the Batmobile. "You need me! You can't do this alone!"

The man didn't even provide a response. He just sped away in his dark car and into the night.

"Bastard."

##

The phone rang a few minutes after Kara had finally managed to drift off to sleep.

"You've got to be kidding me." In the pit of her stomach, the blonde Kryptonian knew that her easy day was too good to be true. She grunted as she sat up in Clark's pullout and reached over to the end table, where the cordless sat. "Hello?"

"Kara. It's Dick."

Her blue eyes shot open when she heard his voice. Dick NEVER called her, and she could only guess why he had now.

"Hey. What's –?"

"Have you heard from Barbara?"

"Not for a few days, actually. Why? What's wrong?" she asked and climbed out of the disastrous thing Clark called a bed.

"She's missing, and Batman won't tell me anything. You're in the League, so I figured that you might know something."

"No. Clark hasn't said anything to me."

Kara heard the man sigh on his end of the line, and her worried heart went out to him. She knew that Dick and Babs were having problems and knew how they truly felt about one another. The blonde wanted to help them, but there was only so much a Supergirl could do.

Within a second, Kara was dressed in full uniform, ready to fly to Gotham City. If Batman wasn't going to help her best friend's boyfriend, then Kara would; it was the least she could do.

"Give me a minute, Dick. We could meet up. Where are you?"

"Roof of the Second National Bank."

"All right. See you in a few." Kara cut the connection and sped out Clark's balcony windows without locking them.

She had to make it to Gotham in record time... for Barbara.

##

"So, Batman has a thing for you?"

Diana lifted her bright eyes to meet Catwoman's. The four women had spent the last half hour in silence, each claiming a corner for her own. The cat burglar was the only one standing, and she had been intensely watching the Amazon.

'Probably studying me, wondering why Batman would chose a hero over a thief,' Diana figured. Although she knew she was much better than the black-clad brunette, the princess was still bothered by the fact that Catwoman cared so much.

"What of it?"

The woman smirked. "I don't know. You just don't seem like his type."

Batgirl shook her head and readjusted herself on the floor. "Lay off, Selina."

"It's all right," Diana assured and sent the crook a smile. "Let her continue."

"Thank you, Wonder Woman, for giving me permission to speak," Catwoman answered sardonically.

"My pleasure," the princess countered and widened her smile. "Now, what were you getting at?"

"Well, I'm sure it's nothing that you haven't already gotten to."

Diana narrowed her eyes.

"I mean, since you're dating Bruce Wayne instead of the Dark Knight... or is that just a cover-up?"

Shayera Hol's forehead wrinkled, but Catwoman didn't notice. Everyone in the room, excluding Selina, knew Batman's secret, and she wouldn't be learning it anytime soon, if Diana had a say in any of it.

"I think you're prying into business that isn't any of yours."

"Really? I think Batman qualifies as my business. After all, I've known him longer than you have, probably better too."

"I doubt that."

"Care to wager?"

Diana stood from her position on the floor to face the criminal. She was quite a bit taller than the burglar, but Catwoman didn't seem intimidated by the distinction. Wonder Woman actually believed the thief found it amusing.

"What makes you think you know Batman, Selina?" the Amazon questioned. "The fact that he's arrested you before?"

"Has he told you anything about himself? Does he share himself or his feelings?" When the arrogance slowly left Diana's face, Catwoman crossed her arms over her chest. "I may not know his identity, but I don't need to. I know 'him.' He's dark. He's different. His motive is vengeance; I may not know why it is, but I bet you don't either.

"What does he see in a supermodel wearing a swimsuit, anyway?" Catwoman whispered as she took a few steps closer to Diana. "You may 'know' him, but you don't know him like I do. Why should he come into the light when he can stay in the dark, where he's comfortable? If you want to be taken seriously, lose that outfit and your superior attitude."

The princess couldn't hold herself back. She backhanded Catwoman with all her might, reopening the cut on the girl's lip. To her surprise, she didn't receive a blow in return; Catwoman just chuckled.

"Diana!" Shayera scolded and stood at the same time Batgirl did.

"It's all right. I'm fine," the criminal assured and sent Diana a smirk. "I guess I should be grateful you didn't kill me with that bitch-slap."

"I guess so."

"I also figure it'd be wise to end this little 'catfight' before it gets out of hand."

"I agree."

Catwoman touched her bleeding lip and shook her head. Without warning, the woman punched Diana square in the jar, knocking her to the ground. When the Amazon lifted her gaze, she noticed that Batgirl had already taken hold of the criminal's arms and that Shayera had jumped to Diana's side, probably to restrain her as well.

"That's for calling me by my name, 'Diana,'" Catwoman explained and ripped free from Batgirl's grip. "Don't worry. I won't lash out again. It would just humiliate her."

The princess could taste the blood on her lip and gritted her teeth. "You green-eyed, little..." She allowed her words to trail off when she heard someone clapping loudly. Almost in unison, the four women turned to see who stood at the bars of their cell.

"It seems as if you four will end up killing each other before I get the chance to."

The man was rather muscular with a leer that could only be outmatched by the Joker and eyes that could burn straight through a person's soul. His wings were much larger than Shayera's, and his axe looked deadlier than her mace.

Diana tore her stare from him and moved her eyes to her former teammate. The redhead's jaw had dropped, and Diana could see the trepidation in her emerald eyes when she spoke his name.

"Hai?"

##

"So, what do you want?"

Batman had requested The Green Lantern's presence in a secluded area, away from the rest of the League and Nightwing. They were in a forest, about thirty minutes from Gotham City, alone. The Batman had left the 'Mobile twenty feet from where they stood, prepared to leave as soon as their meeting concluded.

"Both Batgirl and Wonder Woman are missing."

Lantern narrowed his radiant eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, obviously questioning the Bat's motives for telling him. John Stewart was a military man who second-guessed everything, just like Bruce did.

"I don't believe it's an accident."

"Who do you think might have taken them? Who is capable of taking an Amazon with super powers?"

"Anyone who truly wants to; after all, she's not invincible."

"None of us are," he muttered, taking a quick glance at the replacement power ring he wore. Batman knew that the Lantern was still upset over Hawkgirl's departure and probably would never completely get beyond it. The man had experienced heartbreak, and Batman knew those were the worst wounds to recover from.

"I want you to check your surveillance contacts in Metropolis and in Gotham. Perhaps they had noticed something strange."

"I doubt it. I have a feeling that it's a Gotham-based job. Wasn't Diana on a date with Bruce Wayne –?"

"The night she disappeared?" he finished for his teammate and rubbed his chin as he thought. "You're correct, but I can't think of anyone who would take them both."

"Why not have Superman do a quick x-ray vision sweep of the city?"

"Because Supergirl is doing that as we speak."

##

Nightwing lowered his binoculars when Supergirl landed beside him. By the way the teenager carried herself, he knew she hadn't found Barbara, so he shrugged his shoulders and took a deep breath. There were so many people who would want to kill Batgirl, and narrowing that long list would be near impossible.

"I didn't find her, but I did find this." The blonde Kryptonian handed him a light purple shawl. "It was in the street, just a few yards from the manor's gates."

"Wonder Woman."

"My thoughts exactly. I also found these on an apartment building in the city." Kara revealed a set of handcuffs and a bola. "Something tells me that Diana's disappearance wasn't a fluke; somebody planned on kidnapping them both."

"Batman said they had to be connected."

"But where are they being held?"

"That's for us to find out."

##

_Ten months before she'd be assigned to a mission which would involve studying a planet called Earth and seven months before she'd be promised to Hro Talak, Lieutenant Shayera Hol sat in a quiet bar just a few minutes from her home. The Thanagarian officer had claimed the corner of the bar table with a half empty bottle and a small glass sitting before her. Just that day, she had gotten into a fierce argument with her lover and commander, Hro, over her latest recon mission._

_He had ordered her to have backup, and she hadn't used any. Backup would have just made her even more conspicuous. He knew that she was his best soldier but had been worried of losing her in battle. She didn't want their personal relationship to interfere with her career, and it already had._

_That really pissed her off._

_Now she was infuriated and couldn't just hunt him down and beat his ass because of her emotions, so she had ended up drowning the anger with alcohol._

_Nothing was better than Thanagarian alcohol._

_Except maybe sex... Yes. Sex definitely outmatched alcohol, hands down._

_She didn't want to deal with Hro's comments, orders, worrying, jealousy, ultimatums, and bitching anymore. She was sick of being treated as a... woman. She was a soldier, his "right hand man," and deserved to be treated as so. Hro treated Shayera as one would treat a wife, and she knew he was doing it for appearance reasons alone. Everyone expected him to propose to her soon, and she was expected to accept without hesitation. That thought didn't settle nicely with Shayera, but she'd end up marrying him because it was her duty._

_She was a patriot, and she'd allow her sanity to suffer if it meant aiding the planet in one way or another. In this case, it meant providing children for the future, and they were two of the strongest of their kind. It was only logical for Shayera and Hro to have children together._

_"Are you all right?" a deep voice asked as a body sat down beside her. "You seemed a little irritated on the ship earlier."_

_Shayera forced her green eyes from her empty glass and immediately recognized her commander's younger brother, Hai. Somehow, she managed a smile._

"Did you miss me, Shayera?"

"Like an ulcer," she answered and balled her fists.

##

Yeah, so how 'bout that new JL Unlimited series...? rolls eyes and shakes head I really hope it gets better. Those last 2 eps really didn't have the same magic as the old show did...

Well, I guess we'll have to keep it alive through fanfic... Yippee!

I want to apologize for not updating quickly; a whole lot of things came up at once, so you all had to suffer. Sorry. I'll try to hurry the next chapter along...


	5. Under the Bridges of Paris

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains

By: The Angelic Temptress

Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.

Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"

Rating: PG-13/R

WARNING: This chapter contains a few references to rape. If that offends you in any way, I recommend that you not read. Also, some of the characters drop the F-bomb a few times. Sorry if that word upsets you.

Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG

##

Chapter 5: Under the Bridges of Paris

"Diana and Batgirl are both missing."

"What?"

John cracked his knuckles and made eye contact with the speedster he had left a mile away from Batman's rendezvous point. The Green Lantern knew that Batman didn't want the entire League on the case, only the ones who he believed were useful at that moment. In GL's opinion, that included The Flash, whether Batman approved it or not.

"He said that she disappeared the night they went out together."

"Diana and Bruce went to a restaurant that night. I remember. The tabloids had pictures of them and that Catwoman... something Kyle."

"Selina Kyle. You need to brush up on your bad guys."

"Bad, sure. Guy, definitely not."

GL avoided rolling his brilliant eyes, but shook his head instead. "Do a sweep of Gotham for me. A quick one, though. Supergirl is already patrolling along side Nightwing, but it couldn't hurt to have you there too. Contact me if you find anything."

"Will do, Johnny. So, I guess Boys' Night Out is postponed?" When the Lantern didn't respond, Flash shrugged and gave a mock salute. "See ya later, Sir." Within a split-second, The Flash was gone, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.

John Stewart began putting the pieces together.

A fake anonymous tip, which dealt with an imaginary Metropolis bank robbery and was given to Batman through the GCPD, had been used to distract the League for some reason. The next night, Wonder Woman was kidnapped. While Batman was away, Batgirl was nabbed during patrol. Neither of the women's tracking devices could be detected, nor had they sent a distress signal.

Whoever was behind the kidnappings knew Batman very well, and they hadn't faltered once. The person who believed Batman was the center of intelligence and surveillance for the League had played his or her cards right...

Cards.

Joker.

He was one of the only Gotham based criminals who had dared to go up against the League. It would be of no surprise to GL if Joker were pulling all the strings. He had the brainpower and the lunacy to try something so malicious to women who didn't really know one another. Somehow, John knew that the entire thing would make sense in the clown's warped mind.

There was a squawk in the trees, and John snapped his head to see what had called. It was a bird, a hawk, which had found a perch in a maple tree just to GL's right. Before he would allow himself to contemplate the omen, he flew into the direction of Gotham City and away from anything that would remind him of his lost love.

##

"You sick son of a bitch," Shayera muttered and stomped toward the bars that separated her from the man she obviously recognized. Before she could reach him, Selina stepped into her path and took hold of her shoulders. This act undoubtedly amazed Batgirl, and the redhead didn't know what to make of it.

"Don't let him get to you," the cat burglar harshly whispered, her steady hands gripping the Thanagarian. "Whoever the hell he is, he's not worth losing your head over. Calm down."

The former lieutenant's eyes flickered to their captor and then back to Selina before she loosened her fists and allowed her anger to immerse. She wanted him to pay for whatever suffering he had caused her in the past; Batgirl didn't need a mind reader to tell her that. Shayera Hol despised this Hai person; she almost certainly wanted him dead as well.

"Oh, poor Shayera. I'm sorry if I've caused you any misery for reappearing unannounced in your disappointing and worthless life. I had hoped you would've been delighted to know there was a man who still thought about you, both during the day and while he slept." The Thanagarian male chortled to himself, and wrapped his strong hands around two of the bars before him. "I still dream of you, Hol. I remember the night we spent together in your bed. It was blissful."

Batgirl noticed Shayera's fists tighten again as her green eyes narrowed.

"Do you remember the moaning you made? It was like music to my ears."

"You repulsive bastard."

"Don't you remember your cries? You practically begged for more. You wanted me to hurt you again, and again... and again..."

The ex-Leaguer took a step toward the asshole, and it took Catwoman all her strength to prevent the woman from taking another step.

"When I get my hands on you, I swear on my mother's grave that I'll –"

"That you'll what? Kill me? I'm the only ally you've got, Shayera. We're the same, you and I. We both were banished by Hro because we followed our instincts. We betrayed him because we loved him too much to let him destroy himself."

"No. You were lost in your twisted selfishness and your perverse fantasies. I saved a planet and sacrificed my honor and my dreams to do so. You crucified my dignity so you could pretend to be your brother for a few minutes."

He shook his head with a smirk embossed on his lips. "Don't you think 'minutes' is an understatement?"

"Fuck you."

"Come here, and I'll let you do the honors."

"Go back to whatever hole you crawled out of," Batgirl ordered, already enraged by the sickening jokes he was telling. She couldn't deal with a jerk like him at the moment and wanted to shut him up.

His deathly blue eyes left his fellow Thanagarian and moved to the youngest female in the cell. Hai's smile widened.

"Well, the little one has a spine. Maybe I should break it in two." Their captor then licked his lips and added, "Whether I want to do it the conventional way or the pleasurable way will have to be determined later."

The young vigilante had to resist her gag reflex.

"Talk to you ladies soon." On that note, he left them.

##

"What are you doing here?"

GL stopped searching the rooftop with his ring and turned to face the young man who had questioned him. Nightwing, the Bat's oldest protégé, stood with his arms crossed over the blue Kevlar of his suit and heated worry in his icy eyes. The boy wanted an explanation, and the Lantern believed he deserved one.

"I'm on the case."

"Really?"

"Kara told Flash where she had found Batgirl's cuffs and bola, and he informed me. I'm here to do a slower and more precise inspection of the premises."

After a second, the kid's features softened, and he let out a nervous breath. "Anything?"

"No. You interrupted me."

"Sorry. I'm not used to help from strangers."

'Defensive, just like his old man,' Lantern mused and continued using this ring to examine the rooftop. Just before he believed there weren't any more clues, he stumbled on a couple.

"Found something." He picked up the two pieces of evidence and handed them to Nightwing.

"A tranquilizer dart and a bird feather?"

"That feather's is too large for any normal sized bird."

The kid's eyes widened with revelation. "Hawkgirl?"

"Maybe."

"What the hell would she want with Batgirl?'

"We don't know that she did this, or if she's even involved. In the meantime, we have to start pinpointing suspects." The Green Lantern touched the communicator in his ear. "Supergirl?"

"Right here, GL."

"Go back to the Manor. Check the street again." His green eyes continued to scan the roof, and noticed two more darts; one was lodged into the concrete. "Keep your eyes open for tranq. darts."

##

"The conclusion you're making is...?"

"Batgirl and Diana weren't the only ones taken. I doubt that it took two darts to knock Batgirl unconscious. She was with someone on that roof. That person put up fight, and evaded at least one of the shots." Batman intertwined his hands and gritted his teeth. "Out of the four darts we found, one was completely full with the sleeping toxin."

"How do you explain the feather?"

"Perhaps Hawkgirl was in Gotham last night."

The Lantern shook his head. "We haven't heard from Hawkgirl in months, and out of the blue, she's in Gotham? I find that unlikely."

"Do you find the fact that she suddenly showed up or the idea that she didn't visit Detroit before Gotham unlikely, Lantern?" Batman countered and glared at his teammate.

Moments before their discussion, Nightwing, The Flash, and Supergirl and shied away from the older heroes and stood a few yards from the large computer. They knew better than to meddle with Batman while he hypothesized. He needed his space.

The Batman studied Green Lantern's composure with his skillful eyes and noted that he was flushed. The mention of Hawkgirl had gotten John Stewart's hopes up, and Batman feared that could be a weakness in the near future.

Batman didn't believe that Shayera Hol was the perpetrator, but rather one of the victims; that just seemed more logical. Hawkgirl was a wanted woman, a Thanagarian who'd be tried for treason by any of Earth's nations and/or her own bellicose planet. She wouldn't get anything out of capturing the two women, and Batman figured that there was a hefty price on her head. He knew assassins would do their best to kill or imprison her.

"What about The Joker?"

"What about him?"

The Lantern began to pace behind Batman's chair as he thought aloud. "Do you believe he could be behind this?"

"What makes you think so?"

"Well, he's the only Gotham criminal that's ever challenged us."

"That doesn't mean others won't try."

"I didn't say that."

"You can't just name people. If we did that, we could add every lowlife from Gotham and Metropolis to that broad list."

GL nodded in defeat and sighed silently. He was in pain; that was evident in his green eyes. Batman could tell that it wasn't physical or mental, but emotional.

He could relate.

##

"Who is that guy?" Catwoman asked Shayera as they took a seat on the floor, beside each other. Batgirl and Diana did the same, forming a small square.

"Hai Talak," Shayera managed and ran a hand through her auburn hair, trying to ignore her trembling hands and quivering lips. "Commander Hro Talak's younger brother."

Diana folded her hands in her lap and spoke next. "He said he was banished from Thanagar. Why?"

Shayera knew that the question would come up, and she knew she had to tell them the truth. She had promised herself that there'd be no more lies in her life.

She had told John that she'd leave the lies behind.

"Long before I met any of you, about a few months before I was engaged, I had a quarrel with Hro. Hai found me in a bar, not far from my place, and he was comforting. We were talking, and I was drinking... After only two-thirds of a bottle, I blacked out. You see, Hai spiked my drink without my knowing."

"What happened?" Batgirl questioned carefully.

_Shayera Hol forced her heavy eyes open and groaned. Her whole body ached as she tried to sit up in her bed. For some odd reason, she hurt in places that should not have been hurting. She glanced down at herself and noticed that she was naked and wrapped in a single comforter._

_Her breasts were sore, bruised from bite marks, and her lip felt plump. There were scratch marks on her stomach and on her chest. Shayera stood from her mattress, daring to view the rest of her battered body. Her inner thighs were black and blue, as was her very private area north of her thighs, but she couldn't remember how it had all happened._

_The last thing she recalled was talking to Hai in the bar._

_The lieutenant pulled on some clothes and staggered to her bathroom. After switching the light on, she gasped. Her lip had doubled in size, and her left cheek had been clawed at. Her eyes were red-rimmed, presumably from crying, and her hair looked ravaged._

_She couldn't believe that anyone, let alone her boyfriend's only brother, could harm her like that._

_Before she could allow herself to feel ashamed, before she could pity herself, Shayera Hol felt rage pump through her veins. All the pain flushed from her body as she stormed to where she kept her electric mace. She grasped the handle and headed toward her living room, where she expected him to be._

_Hai was a horrible little fowl that needed to be dealt with, and she didn't care about what was right or wrong. He had manipulated her vulnerable state. He had raped her. He had abused her. He had screwed with her womanhood, and she would make him pay for that._

_To her irritation, her home was empty._

"Great Hera... What did you do?"

"I considered not telling anyone, but I knew I couldn't allow him to hurt another woman. I told Hro, and he granted his brother mercy by ordering Hai to leave Thanagar for good. My rape stayed a secret, and no one knew of Hai's treachery until now.

"Hai is a sick man. He was envious of his brother and wanted everything Hro had. Unfortunately, that included me."

"I'm so sorry," Batgirl told and placed a hand on top of the Thanagarian's. "I had no idea."

"Hro didn't treat me any differently after that day, and I was grateful for that. We did love each other once, many years ago. We just grew apart.

"Maybe you can understand my obligation to him and his cause. Maybe that helps you see why I did what I did five months ago, and maybe it'll help you all forgive my actions." She lowered her emerald eyes and bit her bottom lip. "I know it doesn't help me forgive myself."

"That doesn't matter right now," Catwoman told and rested her hand on Shayera's forearm. "We need to get you out of here as soon as possible. That bastard is doing this because of you, and I know he'll want to prove it in one way or another."

Diana moved her gaze to the burglar and asked, "How do you plan on doing that?"

When Catwoman didn't answer, Wonder Woman shook her head.

##

"We need to keep looking."

Supergirl nodded and turned her body to face Gotham's waters. She, Nightwing, and The Flash were on the docks, resting after their last sweep of the city. They were all friends of Barbara's, and she knew they were all aching in different ways.

Flash had taken a seat and had allowed his legs to dangle over the edge of the pier, and she stood beside him. Nightwing, on the other hand, stood a few yards away from the duo. His eyes were on the waves as well, but his mind wasn't.

Kara knew that Flash couldn't hear Dick's pleading like she could. His words were barely a whisper, but she could make out every syllable.

"Please God, don't let her die. I promised that I'd take care of her, that I'd watch over her. I need her in my life; she needs to know that I love her. You know I'd give my life for her, and that statement stands now. You can take me instead, if You'd like. Just let me hold her again."

Supergirl could feel the tears stinging her blue eyes, but she fought back her sobs. Nightwing didn't need a crybaby helping him. She had to be strong, for Babsy's sake.

"All right. Break's over," she announced and helped Flash to his feet. "I'll take the West Side. Flash, you start east. We'll all meet in the middle."

##

"Would you care for another cup of coffee, Mr. Stewart?" Alfred, Bruce's butler, asked as he poured Batman another mug.

"No thanks. This one's enough for me."

The old man nodded and placed the pot back onto the burner. "If you don't mind my asking, have you kept in contact with Miss Hol?"

John raised his glowing eyes with shock and shook his head. "No. I haven't seen her since she resigned." The Green Lantern took a seat on a steel chair Batman kept in the cave for guests and finished his black coffee.

"That's a pity. She struck me as a very bright young lady."

"She was," he confirmed and traced the rim of his cup with his gloved finger.

"Without pain, there would be no compassion. A very wise man told me that once."

"Sounds reasonable."

The butler gave a small chuckle and rested a hand on John's broad shoulder. "The perfect woman would not be perfect if she did not possess a flaw, for then a man would not want her so badly." When GL made eye contact with Alfred, Batman's devoted companion grinned. "It is not our pasts but rather the choices we will make and people we love that depict who we are."

With that morsel of philosophy, Alfred left the speechless Green Lantern and walked over to his employer, carrying the fresh mug of coffee.

##

"If you could pick any city to be in, which one would you choose?" Batgirl asked the cell of women without even looking at any of them.

Diana stared at the redheaded girl with interest and answered first. "I'd be on Themyscara, although it's more of an island than a city. What about you?"

Batgirl smiled at an apparently pleasant thought and said, "Bludhaven."

Shayera spoke next, with her eyes closed. "I'd be in Detroit, munching on takeout."

When the forth party didn't add to the conversation, Diana decided to personally question her. "Where would you be, Catwoman?"

"Paris."

"What have you got in Paris?"

"Nothing. That's the beauty of it. No one can be lonely in Paris. Ever. It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from. You won't be alone in that city."

The Amazon princess thought of when she had first met Bruce Wayne at a party in Paris. They had danced together. Diana couldn't help smiling as she reminisced.

A harsh Thanagarian voice interrupted her stroll down memory lane and ripped her back to reality.

"How are we all doing?"

"Just peachy," Batgirl snapped and glared at their captor. "Yourself?"

"I really like you, little one. Maybe I could play with our winged rodent while I wait for the Joker to return."

"I don't think so," Catwoman remarked and stood from the floor. "You wouldn't like her. She's too inexperienced for your taste."

"What would make you think that?"

"Well," Catwoman explained and motioned toward Shayera, "you enjoyed using that one. She's been around the block a few times, hasn't she?"

Diana's jaw dropped. "How dare you speak of Shayera in such a manner!"

Catwoman only rolled her green eyes. "Please. Keep it down, Wonder Whore. We all know the only reason you can't wait to get out is because you need to jump the bones of the Bat, A.S.A.P."

"You wretched piece of –"

"Silence, woman," Hai demanded and smiled at Selina. "Now, you were saying...?"

"I bet you've never had a human. Ask Hawkgirl. We're pretty good in the sack."

Shayera began shaking her head, clearly hurt by that last comment.

"Actually, I had no idea."

"Well, maybe someone should teach you a few things before you leave Earth." Catwoman leaned against the wall and ran her claws against the metal bars. "What do you say?"

To Diana's amazement, Hai unlocked the cell.

##

A/N: Sorry if that chapter was a bit graphic, but I needed to portray what kind of monster Hai is. He's nothing like Hro, and I had to emphasize that.

Also, did everyone notice the hints the writers are leaving us in those JLU episodes? John called out Shayera's name in episode 1, and Mongul used a Thanagarian axe against Diana. HA! (Sorry. I'm a loser...)


	6. It's Now or Never

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains

By: The Angelic Temptress

Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different.

Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG

A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed! You guys are great, but you already knew that. Anyway, oneredneckgoddess pointed out a mistake of mine. Kara's not from Krypton. She's from the sister planet, Argos. I honestly didn't know this until I was corrected. (I should brush up on my Superman history. Guess I'm more of a Batman buff... Oops. My bad.) Thankfully, this little mistake won't affect the story at all. (Whew.)

ENJOY!!

)V(

Chapter 6: It's Now or Never

"Lantern, get over here." Batman stepped away from what Robin liked to call "The Chemistry Set" and lifted the Thanagarian feather GL had brought him.

"What is it?"

"She wasn't on that roof," he stated without naming the woman he spoke of, knowing full well that Lantern would follow. When he sent Batman a confused stare, the Dark Knight began to explain. "I compared it to a feather than I had attained years ago, for DNA purposes."

"And?"

"They don't belong to the same person."

John's features immediately hardened, and he began to grind his teeth. With a chilling and angered tone, he muttered the name "Talak." His glowing eyes had narrowed, and Batman couldn't blame him.

The Thanagarian commander had taken almost everything from the Lantern, including the Hawkgirl the League had believed they'd known. He had nearly stolen the life of Green Lantern and the lives of those he cared for the most as well...

"What would his motive be?"

"Payback," Lantern snapped.

"Doubt it." Batman strolled over to a cabinet and placed the new feather in a glass container. "He doesn't know Batgirl. If Hro craved vengeance, he'd kill you and Hawkgirl first." He then tossed an empty dart at the Leaguer. "This wasn't man-made. The solution inside was alien too, probably Thanagarian."

"Master Bruce?" Alfred's image had appeared on the Batcomputer's screen.

"Yes, Alfred?"

"It's the Batsignal, Sir. It seems as if the commissioner is requesting your presence."

Batman nodded and shot a glance at The Green Lantern. "Coming?"

)V(

"You think that maybe you could take this thing off of me?" Catwoman asked politely as she fiddled with the ring around her slender neck. "I mean, it's kinda kinky, but it might get in the way." She sat down on the bed and slowly crossed her legs, giving him time to really catch a glimpse of them.

"This act isn't of any significance; it's merely physical. You will leave the device on," he told sternly and tore off his golden mask.

Hai Talak wasn't a handsome man, but he wasn't ugly either.

All Selina Kyle could focus on were his eyes. They were an icy blue, a shade that was more distinctive than Wonder Woman's but darker than Bruce Wayne's. Her body almost went limp as a reaction to his stare; she was a little afraid of him.

To show that she was ready for whatever he had planned, she pulled back her mask to reveal her green eyes and dark hair. Immediately, she noticed Hai hesitate; Selina had a tendency of making men do that.

"Emerald eyes."

"Yes."

"Like Shayera." His lips twisted into a smirk of some kind as he inched closer to the bed. He didn't know that Selina's insides were shaking, that her pulse had quickened because she was frightened. Hai didn't know that the criminal would go as far as needed to get what she wanted.

The thief crawled farther up the mattress, as he followed, and pressed her lips to his. His reaction wasn't one of delight; he slapped her.

"You do this my way, wench."

Although everything Selina stood for contradicted what he demanded, she allowed him to take control of the situation. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue slipped in as he clawed at her suit. Hai wanted the sex to be quick; he didn't have the patience for foreplay. He just wanted to be in and out so he could get back to Shayera.

Hai's lips left hers and began to travel down her chin and to her chest. Instantly, Selina's eyes darted around the room, searching for anything that could possibly help her. To her convenience, a mace sat on the nightstand to her right.

She didn't make the connection between the weapon and its owner as she clutched it. Selina didn't know that it was the same weapon that had beaten countless villains, that had shattered brick walls, that had struck an unsuspecting Green Lantern months ago... Selina lifted it and then brought it down with all her might, knocking the Thanagarian on the back of the head. The blow proved to be effective; Hai unconsciously fell off the mattress, leaving Selina to do what she pleased.

First, the sly criminal kneeled beside the man who had captured her and searched through his pockets. Along with a set of keys, she found a gray tool that she figured could be of Thanagarian origin and lifted it, to get a better look at the thin piece of metal. The band Catwoman had sported for the past day unexpectedly popped open.

With a chuckle, she placed the ring on Hai's neck and walked over to the door. After putting her mask back on, she dared a glance into the dimmed hallway and counted the henchmen she'd have to face. Although Selina was a strong fighter, she knew there was no way to get to the other three women. At least fifteen men stood guard in that building, and if Hai awoke during the battle, she'd be killed within minutes.

Reluctantly, she had to think up another plan. Hai groaned, signaling her of his waking.

Catwoman quickly and quietly tiptoed to the single window and opened it with little effort. She slipped out of the building and took note of what she saw in the darkness. If she could pinpoint their location, Batman could find the other women with the help of his team.

A sign, which read "Prison," lay on the ground near the wall of the building. She knew that she was in a small town outside of Gotham City where an abandoned jail still stood. All she needed was a vehicle...

Luckily, a biker gang had stopped at the nearest gas station.

)V(

"Maybe you should get some sleep. Wally and I can take it from here."

Nightwing hadn't even bothered glancing over his shoulder. He could picture the blonde's caring face with his eyes closed, and he didn't want any of her sympathy.

He wanted Barbara.

"No. This is Gotham, and you've got no authority here, Miss Justice Leaguer. I figured Batman would've gone over the rules at your inauguration."

Nightwing could feel her eyes on his back but still ignored her. He didn't have the time to discuss what was so-called "right" for him to do. None of it mattered anyway. He could've died right there, and Barbara wouldn't have been any safer.

"Please. Go home for an hour. We'll continue the investigation."

"I think you should be more concerned with finding Barbara than with my sleeping habits, Kara." When he didn't hear her respond to the remark, Nightwing shot out a line and jumped from the rooftop. He had to keep searching for Babs... He couldn't stop... He couldn't give up...

)V(

Batman landed on the roof of the Gotham Police Department alongside The Green Lantern, expecting to see his old friend, Commissioner Jim Gordon, waiting for him.

But there was no one.

"Commissioner?" he called out quietly, cautiously taking a step toward the signal.

"It's me," her very familiar voice said from the shadows. He'd recognize it anywhere because he had heard it and dreamt of it plenty of times in the past. Catwoman shifted in the darkness, allowing her position to be revealed, and, to Batman's surprise, she looked quite exhausted.

"What do you want?" he asked frostily. When a flirtatious smirk hadn't appeared on her usually seductive lips, he knew something wasn't right.

"I've got a rescue mission for you and Denzel," she stated and cocked her head at GL. "You guys have to get there fast."

"Slow down. Rescue who?" Lantern asked, visibly already edgy.

She rolled her eyes. "Who do you think? Batgirl, Wonder Woman, and Hawkgirl."

"Hawkgirl?"

"Did I hesitate? A Thanagarian nabbed me the other night. He got the little bat too."

"Where are they?"

Catwoman let out a breath and rubbed the back of her neck. "Forty-five minutes from here, when you're racing on a Harley, but I have to tell you something. It's a guy who hates Hawkgirl. Before she came to Earth, he humiliated and hurt her, and I think he's going to do it again.

"If you still care about her, you need to get there now, before he gets the chance to..." The sentence died, and Selina's jaw clenched as she thought. "I think his name was Talak."

The Lantern turned to Batman with smug glance. "Hro."

"No. He wasn't part of the invasion. It's the younger brother, Hai, who was banished from Thanagar a while ago. The guy's not alone either; apparently, he's working with Joker." Catwoman then handed the vigilante a set of keys and a metal device. "Here. You'll need them to break them out."

Batman acted as if the information had been trivial and demanded the directions from the sultry cat burglar. He knew that within the next few moments, Jim would get to the roof and Catwoman would be heading toward her apartment.

He figured that he should stop there later, just to make sure she was all right...

The Dark Knight turned his back to Selina to face Lantern. With a slight nod, he signaled his teammate to form a green aura around them. When they were tightly sealed inside the bubble, Batman realized that Catwoman had already left the GCPD's rooftop.

"So what do we do?" Stewart asked anxiously. "Call up Night –"

"No time. From what she said, there's little over a half a dozen gunmen and an angry Thanagarian. We'll have Flash meet us there."

"What about Supergirl and Nightwing?"

"I'm sure they'll keep themselves occupied."

)V(

Shayera stopped pacing and let her body collapse against the brick wall. She was afraid for the criminal, no matter who she was. Hai was going to take advantage of her one way or another.

Whether the come-on was a ploy to help the women escape or not, Shayera didn't care. No one belonged in that kind of situation, especially when the man who would be deceived happened to be Hai Talak. If she were not as good as Batgirl had claimed, Selina Kyle would be dead within the hour.

"We can't sit around here and wait." The Amazon princess stood from her seat on the floor and straightened the satin dress she wore.

With a smart-ass tone, Shayera countered. "What do you suggest we do, Princess?"

Diana crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her former colleague. She was not amused.

"Does he have a weakness?" Batgirl questioned from her seat in one of the cell's four corners.

The winged redhead slid back to the floor. "He likes power and enjoys to be in control. I don't think I was the first woman who had been raped by him... Or the last. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a murderer as well." Shayera sighed and hugged her knees. "The difference between Hai and Hro is that Hai is a coward. He runs from his problems and returns later to destroy them when they least expect an attack, hence the condition here."

"Have you come to peace with what happened that night on Thanagar?" The princess walked over to Shy's side of the cell and sat down beside her. "You sound as if you don't think about it anymore."

"I don't recall it ever happening. I wasn't conscious, remember? My traces of evidence were bruises on my body and the bartender's eyewitness account. When I woke that next morning, I wasn't ashamed. I was angry. Infuriated. I guess if he had kept me awake, it would have been more traumatizing. Thankfully, he didn't, so I could move on."

"Does Lantern know?"

Shayera Hol swallowed over the lump in her throat and made eye contact with Diana. Her answer was a simple shake of her head.

Before they could continue their conversation, a jolt of electricity shot through Shayera's body, and she wailed out in pain. She could hear Diana and Batgirl's cries as well and knew what was happening.

The energy suddenly stopped, but Shy was too weak to do take advantage of the moment. Before she could try anything, Hai had slung her over his shoulder and was carrying her out of the cell and to his bedroom. After he slammed the door behind him, Hai dropped the aching Shayera Hol on his bed.

Her head hit the pillows, but she immediately sat up to face him. To her surprise, he hadn't moved from the edge of the bed.

"Your friend escaped without saving the rest of you."

"Good for her." Shayera had to suppress a sigh of relief.

Hai narrowed his icy eyes. "Do you find that pleasing? She was your last hope."

"You don't look too good, Hai. The cat didn't have fleas, did she?"

"Shut up."

"Or what?" When he didn't respond, she continued. "What were you planning to do with us all?"

Hai chuckled. "You're going to die, and your body will be sent to Hro, as a present from me, with a card that'll say something along the lines of 'I told you so.' Wonder Woman will also be sent to him, as a more enjoyable gift."

"What about Batgirl and Catwoman?"

"Joker wants them dead and gift-wrapped for Batman."

"So there's the clincher. You kill those two, and he'll provide you with information on the Justice League, a building to keep us all in, and men to keep watch. I must say, Hro, that you've really outdone yourself this time."

"My end of the deal's not complete yet. I still have a Batman to hand over to Joker."

Shayera's jaw dropped. "Asshole."

"Maybe later, Shayera." Hai ran a hand through his jet-black hair and smiled. "How many times did I tell Hro not to get involved with you? I told him that you were nothing more than a scheming whore, but he didn't believe me."

"Big surprise. Why would he trust his conniving sibling?"

"Well, I guess he should be kicking himself now. Shayera Hol, our commander's manipulative lover, had fallen for a human and had turned her back on her own world to save a planet that she must hide from. I wonder what The Green Lantern and Hro think of you now; I wonder what they would say to you."

"Fuck off."

"With pleasure." Hai pressed something in his hand and another jolt of electricity ripped through her already shaken body. When the energy ceased, she noted that he was inching closer.

Shayera rolled off of the bed and onto the cold cement floor, attempting to avoid any confrontation. She was no match for Hai Talak in her weakened state no matter how much faith she had in her abilities. Shy had to get out of there.

Hai grabbed her by the hair and lifted her from the ground. He spun her and shoved her against the brick wall, using his body weight to keep her in place. His face was a mere inch from her own, and she could feel his hot breath on her skin.

Then something pierced her shoulder. Before she could cry out, Hai had covered her mouth with his hand. He hand injected something into her, but she wouldn't wait for the effects to kick in. Shayera bit the hand and kneed him in the groin. Hai lost his grip on her and hunched over.

The former Leaguer pushed past him and struggled for the door, her legs already giving way. Hai grabbed her ankle and pulled her down again; her arms barely had time to break her fall.

She wanted to kick him in the face, but she couldn't. She was too drained, and the room was too dark.

"Poor Shayera," she heard him say before something came down on her hand. She howled with pain; her hand had been broken on impact. Hai tossed the electric mace aside and crawled on top of her.

"Didn't Hro break the hand that had kept you coming while you were supposedly lonesome?" he whispered into her ear, his nose nuzzling her hair.

As much as she tried to fight her heavy eyelids, she lost the battle. Shayera blacked out again; only this time, she knew what was in store for her.

)V(

"We split. I'll go in from the top. GL will take the front. Flash, the back." Batman shot out a line and left the other Leaguers to their duties.

The Green Lantern followed suit, and flew to the front of the abandoned prison.

It was almost as if he could feel her. He could sense that she needed him; she was in trouble. With a giant fist, compliments of his power ring, he busted through the steel door and raced down the hallway. There was only one closed door, only one that attracted his attention.

He could hear her muffled whimpers although the sounds of Batman and Flash battling thugs almost drowned her out. John tore open the door with a green crowbar and stepped inside.

A shirtless hawkman was kissing and groping her motionless body; GL's temper snap.

"Keep away from her!" John ordered and used a powerful surge of aura to propel the bastard across the bedroom.

There she lied, unmoving, and vulnerable. Her belt had been undone, and her hair was mussed and greasy.

Although his military instincts told him to remain focused on Talak's brother, he dropped to his knees and searched for Shayera's pulse.

Fortunately, he found it.

"Come on, Shy. I'm gonna take you home," he murmured and lifted the Thanagarian into his arms, as he had done on previous occasions. His unnaturally radiant eyes shot up to stare down the son of a bitch that had caused all of Shayera's new troubles, but the guy had slipped out, unnoticed.

GL didn't care.

He just needed to get Shayera away from the dark and damp dungeon she had been held captive in for the past few days.

)V(

Batgirl felt a sudden breeze that rumpled her hair and lifted her blue eyes from the floor. To her surprise, The Flash stood before her with a device that had to be the Thanagarian key.

"Miss me?" he asked and helped Batgirl to her feet. Within a second, both she and Wonder Woman were free of their neck rings.

She took a step out of the cell and found about twenty thugs lying on the floor. Batman stood only a few feet from the cell.

"Let's go," he told and whirled around, leading the way to the exit.

She couldn't help rolling her eyes. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

Selina Kyle stood on her terrace, watching the moon. The doors were wide open, allowing a warm breeze to dance through the curls of her dark hair and the soft fabric of her curtains.

She wore a black satin negligee, waiting for her Dark Night to pay her a visit. She knew he would; he always did.

Although they denied it, Batman and Catwoman had a connection. Neither of them could explain it in words but knew it when they felt it.

Isis, her black cat, purred as he rubbed his fur against her heels. She smiled and picked him up.

"Now Isis, I know what you're thinking. You believe he's just like any other man; you think a supermodel in a patriotic swimsuit could influence him. You're wrong, you know. He's not just a man; he's so much more.

"Look," she requested and pointed to the night sky. "That's our playground, something she can never take away from us. He and I are one and the same, and that'll never change."

Selina sighed and made her way to her couch. She spent the rest of the evening waiting for the Caped Crusader to join her in her Gotham apartment, but he never showed.

)V(

The final chapter coming soon...


	7. La Vie en Rose

Men, Women, Garters, and Chains

By: The Angelic Temptress

Disclaimer: If I owned them, things would be different. (I don't own the songs mentioned, either.)

Spoilers: Through "Starcrossed"

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: BM/WW BM/CW GL/HG NW/BG

A/N: I just want to thank everyone who reviewed, again. Your sweet words make me so happy! :) Well, before you start the chapter, I must apologize in advance for the lyrics. (xffan-2000) You see, the song "La Vie en Rose" actually sparked the idea for this lil' fic, so I must pay homage to it. (Hey, I fell in love with the song when Audrey Hepburn sang it in "Sabrina" and fell again when Jack Nicholson sang it in "Something's Gotta Give.") Hope you don't mind too much. (By the way, I know none of my favorite singers sang it, so I inserted "Dream a Little Dream" to continue the trend.)

A/N 2: The quote about being in Chicago and praying for rain in California comes from the Dino song, "Little Ole Wine Drinker Me." The "honest to goodness rain" comes from the original "Sabrina."

)V(

Chapter 7: La Vie En Rose

Diana ran her left hand over one of the silver bracelets she had recently slipped back on and bit her lower lip. She had showered and changed at the Wayne Manor since being rescued from the abandoned prison, and she now sat in Batman's cave, only a few feet from the Dark Knight, staring at his mysterious form.

His gloved hands were typing away on the keyboard, which belonged to the large computer that his gaze hadn't wavered from. She knew that he was avoiding her, and she couldn't blame him.

Or could she?

Sitting beside those three other women and actually talking to them had done something to the princess. She was questioning herself and her faith in the relationship she and Bruce had conjured. Diana wanted to believe that what they had was real but couldn't help doubting its stability.

Was Selina accurate? Did Diana not know Bruce? Did she only know elements of his character: the Batman, the fake playboy, the orphaned son, the nearly unemotional companion, the protective father... Had he revealed himself to Selina in ways that Diana could never imagine?

Perhaps the criminal knew what she was talking about. After all, Catwoman knew an aspect of Batman that Wonder Woman would never know: the opponent. Diana would never be Bruce's enemy.

Selina had been at one time.

Could that detail outweigh the fact that Diana knew Batman's identity? Perhaps a name truly meant nothing in the dark world Catwoman and Batman resided in. Maybe to understand Batman, a person had to be him.

And Selina Kyle was his female counterpart. Diana had felt it the first time they met; that's why she had trusted her so quickly. Her presence had felt so familiar.

The Amazon princess stood from her seat on the steel chair and walked over to Batman. She leaned in and planted a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth, a kiss that he didn't return.

"Goodbye, Bruce," she whispered and rotated on her heel. When he said her name, Diana made a ninety-degree turn so she could see him out of the corner of her eye.

"Stay the night. You need to rest," he requested, although it sounded more like an order.

"I'll be fine."

"Then I'll call you."

"No. I think you misinterpreted the farewell." When his expression remained blank, she explained. "I'm not the one you care for." Before he could interrupt, she added, "Selina Kyle, however, is."

"That was a long time –"

"I don't need saving, Bruce. Catwoman does." She sighed, fighting back upcoming tears. "Love doesn't die, no matter what anyone tells you."

The Batcave was silent, and Diana could almost hear her own heart breaking in the darkness.

Once again, she said goodbye and slowly climbed the stairway that would lead her to the grandfather clock, which hid the entrance to the cave. From there, she'd leave the Wayne Manor as a single woman who had experienced something new.

A breakup.

Unexpectedly, a bittersweet smile found its way to her lips as she stepped into the night.

)V(

Shayera gradually opened her green eyes to see a ceiling. She didn't know where she was but wouldn't allow herself to panic. The circumstances seemed all too recognizable, and she knew that freaking out wouldn't help.

Carefully, she sat up in the bed she had been sleeping in and noticed the outline of a person standing by the window, watching her. Her twisted stomach loosened. She'd know him anywhere, especially in the moonlight.

"John?" she managed and tried lifting her right hand to brush strands of hair from her face but failed. It had been placed in a cast.

"Go back to sleep."

Her eyes darted around the room. The scene paralleled the night he had first kissed her. This time, she was the injured one in bed, and the moon hovered in the night sky.

She remembered hovered over the earth during his recovery.

"We need to talk," she found herself saying. "A lot has happened within the past few days."

His glowing eyes hadn't left her, and she could feel the intensity behind the stare. Maybe some of that intensity was love, but she could only hope.

"Not tonight." John turned his back to her and walked out the door without another word. Shy sat there, taken aback by his response.

How could he be so... cold? He wasn't Hro. He wasn't Hai. He was The Green Lantern, her John Stewart. He had been stern before, and he had been domineering but never cold.

Although her entire body ached from lack of sleep, food, and water, she climbed out of the comfortable bed and followed him into the hallway. She yelled his name, to get his attention, and raced to him.

She wrapped her arms around him, her left hand taking hold of the back of his head. Her mouth moved to the crook of his neck as the rest of her body melted against his.

"I'm so sorry, John," Shayera whispered against his neck, placing a kiss where her breath collided with his skin. She heard him swallow hard as his arms cautiously pulled her closer.

After a minute of just holding the sobbing Thanagarian, John's body finally relaxed against hers. His hand grasped her auburn hair, and his lips touched her temple.

"I know" was all he murmured in return, but she knew that he had forgiven her.

The Green Lantern lifted her into his arms and carried her back to the room she had been placed in earlier. That night, he didn't leave her side.

)V(

"You all right?"

Supergirl glanced to her right and noticed The Flash standing beside her. She gave a slight nod and said, "Aside from the fact that you all ditched Nightwing and me, I'm fine."

"Not my idea. Blame Bats."

She crossed her arms over the "S" on her chest and huffed. "Barbara and Diana could have been killed. Of all of us, I am the strongest, and you left me behind!"

"Whoa. Hold up. Lantern, Bats, and I are fully capable of taking care of ourselves. Sure, you may be a pretty strong 'Gal of Steel,' but you're still a kid and still new. I'm not trying to sound like a jackass veteran, but it's true. You and Nightwing were too close to this."

"And you weren't?" she countered, spinning to face him. "Babs is your friend too."

"But you've got to learn to take orders and brush off... brush-offs." He shrugged at his own inarticulate statement, and shook his head. "Do you get what I mean? It wasn't personal. In Gotham, we follow the Bat's rules. I never asked why, but I guess you could go to Supes for that answer."

"What about GL? Huh? You can't tell me that he wasn't 'too close to this.' He's still crazy about that Hawkgirl; everyone knows it. God, I don't know how many times I've heard the other heroes gossip about the two of them. But yet, he gets a call?"

"Bats isn't one to ask for help. We were lucky he even considered giving us a call." Flash scratched the back of his head and offered an apologetic smile. "Do you get it?"

The blonde heroine returned a small smile and nodded. "I guess so."

"Am I forgiven then?"

She chuckled. "Sure. Why not?"

He laughed too and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You'll get used to it. I promise. There'll be a time when you'll shine and outsmart them. Even Big Blue himself wouldn't be able to prevent that from happening."

"You think so?"

"Of course."

"And you're not just saying that to butter me up?"

"Why would I butter you up?"

"Because I'm beautiful, blonde, and bodacious?"

"Maybe you're just super, superior, and scrumptious. By the way, I didn't know people still used the word 'bodacious.' Didn't that die in the '90s?"

"Who am I to allow an innocent term to fade away?"

Flash raised an eyebrow and a corner of his mouth, and Kara couldn't help finding it adorable. He did have a boyish charm about him, and she couldn't exactly ignore it. That would not only be impossible, but it would be a sin as well.

She'd bet fifty bucks that he was thinking the exact same thing.

And she laughed again.

)V(

"Honey, I'm home."

Joker glanced around the quiet prison. There were no armed guards in sight, and the women's cell was completely empty. Already, he could feel his temper rising.

"What is it, puddin'?" Harley asked as she stepped inside too. Her mouth hung open, and her eyes grew wide with shock. "What happened?"

Joker scowled at his girlfriend and resisted yelling at her. How would he possibly know what happened if he hadn't been there?

The Clown Prince of Crime continued on his walk through the empty hallway once he told Harl to stay behind. Not three steps into his journey, he stumbled on something.

A batarang.

His jaw clenched in anger, and he stormed Hai Talak's bedroom. After kicking it open, he screamed, "What the fuck happened while I was away?"

The Thanagarian was sitting on his bed, his blue eyes staring into the abyss, but he didn't answer the clown's question. Already, Joker was exasperated.

"Didn't you hear me, Bird Boy? What. The. Fuck. Happened?"

After a moment of silence, Hai spoke. "They came. The Lantern took her from me." He stood from his seat and gritted his teeth. "I'll kill him, though."

"How did they find us? We destroyed their tracking devices and communicators."

"It was that feline. She must have warned them."

"Catwoman? But she was here..." Joker's evil eyes narrowed. "She escaped, didn't she?" Hai barely nodded, and the clown's knuckles grew white as he balled his purple-gloved fists. "And then she went to find the Bat. During that time, you didn't think to relocate or call me?"

Joker shook his head with disbelief. "It was the perfect plan. He'd never suspect me until the package would have been delivered. It would have driven the Bat off the edge. I would have won." He pointed a finger at the Thanagarian and shouted, "It's all your fault. You just wanted to fuck that Hawk Whore. That was all you cared about!"

Suddenly, Joker was pressed up against the wall with Hai's hand wrapped around his white neck. Gasping for air, he tried to apologize to the over-sized canary, claiming he was angry and not thinking clearly.

"Don't you dare call her a whore. She's my fiancée, you fool."

The color drained from Joker's face when he realized how bonkers the bird really was. Joker didn't need a guy like that to weigh him down.

Three shots went off in that bedroom. Three bullets were lodged in a man's stomach. A single revolver was smoking.

That revolver sat in the palm of the Joker's hand.

Those bullets had been fired into Hai.

As blood spurted from the Thanagarian's mouth, the grip on Joker's neck loosened. The criminal shoved the Hawk, sending him to the floor, and squatted beside him.

With a deadly whisper, Joker said, "That's for ruining my plans. See you in Hell, freak." The maniac stood, called for Harley, and walked toward the door.

"Yeah, Mistah J?"

Joker placed the gun in her hand. "Finish him off for me, Harl. I need to be alone for a few minutes."

"Sure thing, puddin'."

As he strolled down the hallway, he heard the gun go off another three times, and he smiled to himself.

)V(

Barbara finished towel drying her red hair and headed for her kitchen. She was starving and couldn't wait to scarf down a bagel and strawberry cream cheese.

A figure sitting on her couch startled her, and she nearly dropped her hairbrush. Nightwing came to her, without uttering a word. His arms pulled her to his kevlar suit as his mouth covered hers. She mimicked his passionate embrace and kissed him in return.

This time, she did drop the brush.

He felt so warm, and his cheek was so soft against hers. Her hand gripped his black hair as his lips traveled to her jaw line. She closed her eyes with approval and anticipation as his hands traced her curves.

But she knew she couldn't go through with it. At least, not until she talked to him.

"Dick. We can't."

Stunned by the remark, he took a step back. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... Everything." She took his hands into her own and started to explain. "We need to discuss this."

"This...?"

"Whatever we are. Whatever this relationship is."

His face fell, and he took off his mask. "I knew this was coming." Before she could give her opinion, he told, "I don't want it to end. We'll work it out. I promise. I'll stop by more often. Call more. Talk more. Whatever you need me to do, I'll do."

Tears formed in her eyes as she caressed his cheek. "Then be your own person, Dick. You don't need me."

"Don't I? You're the best friend I've ever hand, the best person I've ever met, the best lover I've ever –"

"But how do you know that? How old are we, Dick? God, we sound like we're fifty."

"But aren't we? We both had lived a lifetime before the age of twenty... several lifetimes. We're four people, not two. We're not like other couples, and we have to stop treating ourselves as if we were."

Barbara shook her head. "Then are we together because it's logical? It's even? Not odd?

"That's not it, and you know it."

"I'm afraid I don't."

He took her face into his gloved hands and kissed her forehead. "I remember falling in love with you the night you first showed up as Batgirl. I've loved you ever since."

The tears fell from her blue eyes, and he wiped them away.

"If you need me to change, I will. I'd give my life for you. I'd do anything." He smoothed her damp hair and sent her a smile. "I love you, Babs. I always will."

A smile appeared on her quivering lips. "I love you too, short pants."

He laughed and kissed her again, softer this time. Before they knew it, the kevlar suit was lying on Barbara's bedroom floor, next to her sweatpants and GSU tee.

Dick didn't go back to Bludhaven the next morning. He didn't leave her apartment for a good twenty-nine hours.

)V(

She looked so peaceful sleeping, and he loved watching her. The way her chest would slowly rise and fall, the way she mumbled incoherent words in her sleep, and the way she'd lay close to him made John a happy man.

Other than a few innocent, although avid, kisses, the duo hadn't done anything. He had spent the night studying her, enjoying her presence.

Holding her...

The entire atmosphere seemed warmer now that she was close. He could smell her and touch her now. She was the real McCoy, not just a figment of his imagination anymore. John would never let her go, like he did the last time.

She slightly groaned, and her eyelids fluttered open. When those green circles of sight focused on his face, a smile danced on her pink lips.

"Hey there," he said quietly.

"Hey yourself." Shayera lifted her good hand and rested it on his jaw, specifically placing her thumb on his mouth.

He kissed it.

"Sleep well?"

"Mmm-hmm." Her fingers began to trace little patterns on his chocolate skin, inviting memories of their tender past.

And, for once, he didn't care.

Suddenly, her expression changed, and she sat up in the bed Bruce Wayne had provided. The billionaire believed it would be best to keep her at the Manor, for safety reasons of course. John couldn't have agreed more.

"What's wrong?" he questioned and sat up as well.

"What did you do with Hai?"

"Couldn't get to him. He ran. Batman and Superman are set on locating him within the next week, so don't worry. We'll –"

Her eyes widened. "He knows who you are, John. He's a devious little bastard, and we have to keep an eye out for him; he'll probably try to kill you." Shy's voice held so much concern for John, although she should have been worrying about herself.

The fact that she hadn't asked what Hai had done to her surprised the Lantern. If he had been in that position, he'd want to know.

"He didn't touch you."

She nodded but moved her gaze to her lap. "He's sick, John. He really wants to be his brother." Shayera faced him again and added, "I called him Hro, and he didn't flinch. It was... startling. It's as if he had convinced himself that he is his brother."

Even though hearing Talak's name leave Shayera's mouth warped his stomach into knots, John pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"I won't let him hurt you, Shy. I won't let him hurt anyone again. I promise."

"Thank you," she said against his bare chest.

After showering and eating the delicious breakfast Alfred had prepared, John and Shayera left the Wayne Manor and headed for John's apartment in Detroit, even though they knew Hai would probably target it.

He figured that they would be more comfortable talking in a place that they both loved, and Hai would have to face the both of them.

)V(

It had been twenty-four hours since Catwoman had escaped from the claws of Hai Talak, and the Batman stood just outside her city apartment, on the roof of an adjacent building.

Her lights were out, but he figured she'd be asleep or prowling around Gotham.

He shot out a line and swung onto her terrace. With a simple wire, he unlocked her door and stepped inside.

The apartment looked as if no one had been there for a day or so. Cats didn't parade around the living room, as they usually did, and all the dishes had been washed. Batman headed for the bedroom but only found an already made bed.

Selina was gone and had left nothing important behind.

Batman left her apartment the way he had found it and made his way to the 'Mobile. After slipping inside, he spoke.

"Computer. Run search for any recent purchases on Selina Kyle's MasterCard."

A few moments passed, and the computer responded. "Latest purchases: Hotel room at the Royal Parc De Seine Suresnesin Paris, France; one airline ticket on Air France flight 10 –"

He shut off the computer and started the car.

)V(

Selina Kyle sat alone in one of Paris' many smoke-filled cafés, sipping her second glass of white wine. She had arrived in France that day, six o'clock Gotham time and eleven o'clock Paris time. Now it was two in the morning, French time, and she was one of the few loners still sitting in the all-night café, situated not far from the Eiffel Tower.

The band was still playing, and the dark-skinned singer was finishing another song, "Les Yeux Ouverts" which was the French version of "Dream a Little Dream." Selina couldn't help mumbling the English words to herself.

_Stars fading but I linger on dear_

_Still craving your kiss_

_I'm longing to linger till dawn dear_

_Just saying this_

_Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you_

_Sweet dreams that leave all worries far behind you_

_But in your dreams whatever they be_

Dream a little dream of me

When the pretty young woman finished, Selina applauded and gulped the rest of her wine. It was then that the bartender caught her attention.

"Something wrong, mademoiselle?"

She raised her green eyes and shook her head. "No."

The piano started again, this time playing a tune she had heard in so many movies. The lovely brunette gave a dry chuckle and muttered, "How cliché."

_Des yeux qui font baisser les miens_

_Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche_

_Voilà le portrait sans retouches_

_De l'homme auquel j'appartiens_

"I believe you are suffering from what Americans call 'Heartbreak,'" the man behind the bar said and refilled her wine glass. "No charge."

"Thank you."

He had gleaming brown eyes and tanned skin, but he looked like a typical Frenchman with his rugged, unshaven face. It almost made Selina laugh.

"You don't like this song? Most tourists do."

"I'm not a tourist."

This time, he chuckled. "Like I say before, you look sad."

"Well, when you find yourself in Chicago praying for rain in California, you know you're heart's broken."

His forehead wrinkled, but she didn't take the time to explain the quote.

"You see, there are rules in this war with love, rules in the world of men, women, garters, and chains."

"What rules?"

"Well..." She pulled the antique clip from her hair and allowed her dark strands to fall to her shoulders. "Rule number one: Men will always find the bad girl attractive."

"This is true."

"Rule two: All men are the same, no matter what you've come to believe." Selina sighed and shook her head again. "Rule three: The good girl always wins, leaving the bad girl in the dust."

"Good girl?"

"Don't act stupid. You know exactly what I'm talking about." Selina Kyle stood from her barstool and tossed a few Euros onto the table. "Keep the change." She slung her purse over her shoulder and started for the exit.

It was raining that morning, and she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Selina was sure that a person needed "honest to goodness" rain on his or her first day in Paris.

)V(

That night, starcrossed lovers allowed themselves to be loved again, college sweethearts gave into their desires, a young heroine found herself, a psychotic conspirator was found murdered, an Amazon princess grew up, and a criminal's heart ached.

And again, the Batman stood alone on one of many barren rooftops, watching over his city.

The wind tousled his cape as he tried to forget that he didn't have arms to come home to anymore.

He couldn't expect things to work out for him. They never had in the past. Batman had never once looked at life through rose-colored glasses and probably never would.

But that was life.

His life.

)V(

That's la vie en rose...

)V(

_The End._

There. It's done. Hope you liked.

No, neither Shayera or John finished Hai, but he got what was coming to him with an ironic twist. (Maniac kills a maniac) Nobody won our Batsy... Did that surprise both the BM/CW and WW/BM fans?

Thanks so much! :)


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